ORLANDO — Edwin Diaz is taking his trumpets to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Dodgers and the All-Star nearer are in settlement on a deal, in keeping with sources. Diaz, a stalwart stopper with the Mets since he was acquired in 2019, turned a free agent in November after opting out of the ultimate two years of the five-year $102 million contract he signed in 2022, the largest-ever contract for a reliever on the time.
The Athletic was the primary to report Diaz’s deal.
The Mets have been hoping to re-sign Diaz in an effort to construct an excellent ‘pen. They signed right-hander Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract final week, with a lot of the cash deferred to permit wage to be allotted to Diaz. Ideally, the Mets needed Williams to arrange for Diaz, however the former Milwaukee Brewers and Yankees nearer will now step into the position vacated by Diaz.
The membership discovered simply how invaluable he was when the Mets have been pressured to go with out him.
Whereas enjoying for Puerto Rico within the World Baseball Traditional in March 2023, Diaz tore the patellar tendon in his proper knee in a freak accident. He had simply struck out the facet to eradicate the Dominican Republic workforce, and his teammates surrounded him as he got here off the mound, leaping in celebration. One way or the other, Diaz bought caught up within the center and his knee got here out from beneath him.
He underwent surgical procedure the next day, and spent the remainder of the season rehabbing. The Mets crumbled with out him, buying and selling the veterans on the deadline and failing to make the playoffs. Diaz labored his method again to the mound earlier than the top of the season, however the membership went the conservative route, opting to avoid wasting him for 2024.
The harm was the topic of great controversy, with followers, gamers and pundits alike arguing that it was too dangerous for groups to permit their gamers to take part within the WBC. Nonetheless, Diaz stated he would do it once more. One of many enduring photographs of the event was his brother, right-hander Alexis, on the sphere in tears. It was the primary time the 2 had been on the identical subject in years. Since their time collectively was reduce brief, the 2 are hoping to play in baseball’s premier world occasion once more this upcoming spring.
The Mets are dropping a fan-favorite and a preferred clubhouse determine. Since being traded from the Seattle Mariners in 2019, Diaz has posted an ERA of two.92 with 144 saves in 332 appearances with the Mets. Diaz, who shall be 32 subsequent yr, is coming off of a stellar season, having gone 6-3 with a 1.63 ERA — the second-lowest of his profession — and 28 saves in 62 appearances. For his efforts, he was rewarded together with his third journey to the MLB All-Star Sport and his first since 2022, and was named Reliever of the 12 months for the third time.
A quintessential nearer, Diaz owns two devastating swing-and-miss pitches, a high-90s four-seam fastball and a slider. Since 2022, his 14.84 strikeout-per-nine-innings fee has led all certified relievers. During the last two seasons, solely two different certified relievers have struck out hitters at a better fee per 9 innings, Mason Miller and Fernando Cruz.
Diaz is adept at getting out of jams with runners on base, even when these jams are of his personal creation. Since getting back from a knee harm that sidelined him for your entire 2023 season, Diaz has stranded 80.3% of runners on base. Since 2022, he’s left 83.4% on base, the third-best fee in baseball.
Traded from the Seattle Mariners in 2019 together with former second baseman Robinson Cano, Diaz struggled his first season in New York earlier than returning to his elite methods the next season. In 2020, he began utilizing the track “Narco” by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet as his walk-out track once more, which turned an immediate hit with the followers after they have been allowed again within the ballpark in 2021. Timmy Trumpet even performed the track reside as Diaz ran out of the Citi Subject bullpen for a save alternative in 2022. It went viral, serving to popularize the track and Diaz himself, whose star rose quickly as he saved 32 video games for the second yr in a row.
The variety of longtime gamers beloved by followers is dwindling. Brandon Nimmo was traded to the Texas Rangers in a surprising deal for Marcus Semien final month, and Pete Alonso may go away in free company.
Ought to the Mets resolve they nonetheless want one other closer-type of reliever within the again finish of the bullpen, they’ll pivot to right-hander Robert Suarez, or right-hander Pete Fairbanks. A multi-year contract for an almost 35-year-old pitcher most likely isn’t palatable, so if that’s the case, the membership may choose going the commerce path to proceed constructing the bullpen.
