Edwin Diaz has been the Mets closer since 2019. So far in his Mets tenure, he’s had some very high moments and some low moments too, saving games.
What I’ve seen from Diaz’s impact with the Mets overall as closer, is that I believe that he makes his team go. Especially over the last three years, he has had a big say in the Mets winning and losing overall during a season.
Let’s start with the 2022 season, which was clearly Diaz’s best year, even better than his 57-save season that he had in his last year with the Seattle Mariners back in 2018. In 2022, Diaz was 3-1, saved 32 games out of 35 chances, had a career low 1.31 ERA, and struck out 118 batters in 62 innings pitched. His 2022 season is one of the best years that a closer can possibly have.
The Mets won 101 games in 2022, and Diaz was one of the biggest reasons why. Maybe the biggest reason why, in my opinion. Sure, the Mets also had a great all-around offense, with Brandon Nimmo, Starling Marte, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, etc. All these names mentioned had big parts in the Mets winning games with a lot of scoring and big hits.
You can also credit the Mets starting rotation with great pitching, led by Max Scherzer, and Jacob deGrom when he returned at the end of July that year. Or also Chris Bassitt, who pitched through the entire season and won 15 games.
But still, none of the Mets in 2022 had a season like Diaz did. First, the overall stats that Diaz put in 2022, is something that not many closers have put up. Once again, it’s one of the best seasons by a closer in history.
Second, because of his domination, it took a lot of pressure off every other reliever in the Mets bullpen. The other Mets relievers pitched with the mindset that they’ll have Edwin Diaz at the end, to save games. Adam Ottavino also had a career year in 2022 as the setup man, and Diaz’s presence may have had a big say on it.
And then finally, the closer’s job may be the most important in baseball. If a team has a great closer, who consistently saves games in the ninth inning, they’re always in great shape to win their games when having a lead. That’s what the Mets had in Diaz in 2022.
Diaz only blew three save opportunities in 2022 and the last one was in May. So he didn’t blow any games for the remaining four months of that season. Not only did he save games, but he did it in dominating fashion, striking out a bunch of hitters with his 100-mph stuff. He brought a lot of intimidation to opposing batters, which made him even more unhittable.
When the Mets had the lead after the eighth inning, it was basically game over, when hearing Narco’s trumpet music with Diaz entering the game. The team was confident in that, and so were us fans as well.
Diaz’s important presence was none more evident than the following year, when he missed all of 2023 after tearing his patella tendon in the World Baseball Classic while celebrating on the mound. And needed season ending surgery.
You could say that the Mets 2023 season was already in shambles even before starting the regular season, after Diaz’s injury news. Even though David Robertson filled in nicely as closer, the Mets clearly missed Diaz’s dominating stuff, and the bullpen struggled all year without No 39. After winning 101 games in 2022, the Mets only won 75 games in 2023 and missed the playoffs. The bullpen’s struggles without their top notch closer had a big say in the team’s massive drop in wins from a year ago.
Diaz returned to the mound this season in 2024, and so far, it’s been a mixed bag in terms of his performance. The Mets so far this year, have been up and down as well.
Based on Diaz’s availability and performance, it seems to affect the Mets winning, more than anything else.
In 2022, Diaz was the best closer in baseball, and the Mets were 101-61.
In 2023, Diaz missed the entire season, and the Mets were 75-87.
So far in the first half of 2024, Diaz got off to a good start in April, and the Mets hovered around the .500 mark. But he fell apart in May, and so did the team. In the month of May, Diaz blew 4 save opportunities and the Mets fell 11 games under .500 towards the end of that month while Diaz ended up going on the IL with shoulder impingement.
Diaz came off the IL in mid-June, and the Mets found their groove. At one point in June, they won seven straight games and Diaz was 2 for 2 in save opportunities.
However, towards the end of June, Diaz was suspended 10 games for sticky substance on his hand during a June 23rd game vs the Chicago Cubs. So far during his suspension, the Mets are 5-3. But all three of the losses were lost by the bullpen.
So not only does Diaz have to be available but he also has to be effective,
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You make an insightful point that I’d not considered – the positive impact on the confidence that Diaz created for the BP as a whole. Knowing that there was a bona fide stalwart at the end of the line surely gave the rest a swagger and a willingness to challenge hitters.