That is what the Subway Collection is all about.
Aaron Choose vs. Edwin Diaz.
Energy vs. energy.
Star vs. star.
Diaz got here out on high in that marquee matchup on Saturday afternoon, hanging out Choose to complete off the Mets’ 3-2 win over the Yankees within the Bronx.
“Facing the best hitter at the end of the game is really fun,” Diaz stated. “I was trying to make my pitches, compete against him and just get me home.”
Diaz hurled a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn his tenth save. He struck out Austin Wells with a slider and induced a tender lineout from Ben Rice earlier than he pumped a excessive, 99-mph fastball previous Choose on a 3-2 rely.
“For Diaz to come in the ninth and just get the three outs with the way he did it, attacking … it was really good to see conviction with all of his pitches,” Mets supervisor Carlos Mendoza stated.
It was the seventh consecutive scoreless outing for Diaz, who topped out at 100 mph on Saturday and repeatedly threw his fastball within the higher 90s.
That was notable contemplating Diaz’s fastball velocity grew to become a speaking level when it sat round 93-95 mph throughout spring coaching and round 92-96 mph in early April.
“I didn’t start the way I wanted to,” Diaz stated, “but right now I think I’m throwing the ball the best since 2022.”
Diaz completed ninth in Nationwide Cy Younger Award voting in 2022 after recording a 1.31 ERA, 32 saves and 118 strikeouts in 62 innings.
His fastball averaged 99.1 mph throughout that dominant season.
Diaz missed all of 2023 because of the torn patellar tendon he suffered throughout that 12 months’s World Baseball Basic. Upon returning final season, Diaz pitched to a 3.52 ERA, along with his fastball averaging 97.5 mph.
His common fastball velocity was right down to a career-low 96.5 mph this season coming into Saturday, however Diaz has ramped up that pitch of late.
“Slider’s 91. Fastball’s 99, 100,” shortstop Francisco Lindor stated. “I like what I see, for sure.”
Diaz ended April with a 4.50 ERA via 12 appearances, however his current surge — together with Saturday’s 17-pitch gem — has lowered that quantity to three.00.
The suitable-hander attributes a mechanical adjustment to his current success.
“I just tried to throw my fastball straight to the hitter,” Diaz stated. “I was missing a lot armside, and now I can throw it right in the middle, and that’s what I want.”
His battle with Choose capped an 0-for-5 afternoon for the Yankees slugger, who struck out 3 times however remains to be hitting an MLB-best .402.
“He was electric today,” first baseman Pete Alonso stated of Diaz. “He had command of all of his pitches, and he just looked really explosive. I had a conversation with him the other day, and right now in his process, he’s crushing it. He’s crushing his process and obviously it’s showing on the field.”
Initially Revealed: Might 17, 2025 at 6:58 PM EDT
