"Everyone was saying that I was one of the worst trades," Diaz said. Now, as much as fans once tore him down, they have built him up. But in 2022, he has arrived at his destination, with a 1.52 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 1.13 FIP (the best among relievers in baseball) and 101 strikeouts in 53.1 innings pitched. Over the next two seasons, Diaz began to take the latter route, posting a 2.95 ERA and 38 saves in 89 appearances. The first year was tough."ĭiaz saw two paths for himself: He could let his failures overtake him, or he could use them as a hard lesson on how to manage intense pressure, high stakes and outsized expectations. On social media, things were bigger here. " I didn't see the same amount of reporters as here. "In Seattle, it was not the same," Diaz said. Critics wrote him off as the latest athlete to wilt under the spotlight of the Big Apple.ĭiaz, too, felt the pressure of being the centerpiece of a major trade for a team expecting to compete in October. Mets fans ripped the trade with the Seattle Mariners that brought him to Queens, lamenting the loss of top prospects Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn for an All-Star closer who now couldn't stop giving up moonshots. The New York tabloids crushed his performances. After each rough outing, the same four words ran through his head, night after night, blown save after blown save. In 2019, he was actively contributing to Mets losses to the tune of a 5.59 ERA (seventh worst among relievers), 15 homers allowed and -0.6 bWAR in 58 innings. Just three years ago, more often than not, Diaz would come home from Mets games, rest his head on his pillow and brood over what had happened at the ballpark: another game, another blown save, another home run served up in a crucial moment. How New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz went from Big Apple bust to the King of QueensĮDWIN DIAZ DOESN'T forget there was a time before he was a Mets folk hero, before Timmy Trumpet's horns on "Narco" were the sign of an incoming New York victory, before he was the best closer in baseball. You have reached a degraded version of because you're using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer.įor a complete experience, please upgrade or use a supported browser
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