Diaz sat 93-95 mph with his fastball during Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Astros, according to the stadium radar gun, and Statcast has him averaging 95.7 mph with his four-seamer this spring, his lowest mark since 2020, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Stadium guns aren't always reliable, and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza says he isn't concerned -- he indicated after Wednesday's outing that the closer had hit 97 mph in a back-field game recently. Still, Diaz's velocity has been on the decline since his 2023 ACL surgery, and he averaged 99 mph the spring prior to that injury. If the 30-year-old right-hander has lost some of his heat, he'll need to compensate with better control -- his 9.3 percent walk rate last season was his highest mark since 2020. Even if he can't regain his elite form or consistent triple-digit fastball, Diaz is still locked in as the Mets' closer.
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Mets' Edwin Diaz: Bumpy spring so far
Rotowire
Diaz has posted a 4:3 K:BB through 2.1 innings over three Grapefruit League innings this spring, allowing two runs on three hits.
While the small-sample ratios aren't pretty, the fact that four of Diaz's seven outs this spring have come via strikeout should be reassuring to potential fantasy investors. The veteran closer had an erratic 2024 as well -- his seven blown saves tied his career high -- but being one year further removed from the ACL surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2023 campaign should help him regain his elite form.
Mets' Edwin Diaz: Blows save but nabs big win Monday
Rotowire
Diaz (6-4) blew the save but picked up the win in the first game of Monday's doubleheader against Atlanta, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk over 1.2 innings. He struck out two.
With both teams needing at least one win in the twin bill to lock up a wild-card spot, the matinee featured a wild, desperate finish that saw 12 of the game's 15 runs cross the plate over the final two innings. Diaz came on with one out and two on in the eighth, and after retiring Gio Urshela, the Mets' closer missed his chance to escape the frame unscathed when he was late covering first base on a Jarred Kelenic grounder down the line that Pete Alonso dove to stop well behind the bag. Atlanta wound up taking a 7-6 lead, but when New York tacked on two more runs in the top of the ninth, Diaz was able to slam the door shut. It was his first blown save since Aug. 28, and only the second time in 13 September appearances that the right-hander had been scored upon. Diaz heads into the playoffs with a 1.93 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 26:5 K:BB over 14 innings in the final month of the regular season.
Diaz struck out four while allowing a hit and two walks over two scoreless innings Sunday to pick up his 20th save of the season in a 2-1 win over the Phillies.
Hanging onto a slim lead over Atlanta for the final wild-card spot, manager Carlos Mendoza did not hesitate to put Diaz in for another save opportunity just one day after throwing 17 pitches to get four outs. Diaz left Bryce Harper stranded on third in the eighth and then worked around a pair of walks in the ninth to shut the door on the Phillies. Diaz has given up just one run while owning a 21:3 K:BB in 11.1 innings during September and also reached 20 saves in a season for the sixth time in his career. He owns a 3.35 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 79:18 K:BB in 51 innings on the year.
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Mets' Edwin Diaz: Nails down 19th save
Rotowire
Diaz struck out two in 1.1 perfect innings of relief Saturday to record his 19th save of the season in a 6-3 win over the Phillies.
The right-hander fanned Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper en route to his fifth straight save conversion. Diaz has been scored upon only once in his last 12 appearances, posting a 0.79 ERA, 0.53 WHIP and 21:1 K:BB through 11.1 innings over that stretch, and he appears to be back in elite form as the Mets try to lock down a playoff spot.
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