Edwin Diaz

Despite having slowly worked his way back to throwing bullpen sessions, New York Mets star closer Edwin Díaz will not return to pitch this season as he continues to recover from a torn patellar tendon, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo.

Given that the Mets have greatly underachieved this season and are nowhere near title contention, the organization doesn't want to risk any setbacks for the two-time All-Star. Instead, Díaz will continue to throw bullpen sessions through the end of the September.

The expectation is that he'll be ready for a normal offseason and will be good to go for the 2024 campaign.

Díaz suffered the injury before the MLB season even began. He went down while celebrating a win over the Dominican Republic with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic back in March, and the belief was that he'd be out for about eight months.

The reigning Reliever of the Year has been working his way back into shape, and his brother, Alexis, who is an All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds, has seen shades of the best version of Díaz in recent bullpen sessions.

"Especially this past bullpen [session] that he had a couple of days ago—it looks like the pitcher from the past," Alexis said Friday. "He seems like he's really getting close to where he could be.

"Just like the pitcher that he was beforehand."

It makes sense that the Mets wouldn't want to further risk Díaz as they aren't exactly playing meaningful baseball right now.

Just a year after winning 101 games, New York wasn't able to take advantage of having the highest payroll in MLB and currently sits fourth in the NL East at 69-80. The Mets are nowhere near the playoff picture with two weeks remaining in the regular season.

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz is aiming to pitch for the team in 2023.

Diaz threw his first bullpen session since suffering a torn patellar tendon during the World Baseball Classic in March. Andrew DiComo of MLB.com reported that Diaz felt good in the session and has his sights set on returning before the season is over.

"Right now, I'm feeling great," Díaz told reporters. "My goal is to come back this season and throw one or two games or whatever. That's how I'm looking. In my workouts and everything, my goal is to come back as soon as I can. As of right now, we are on a positive note."

Díaz was sensational for the Mets in 2022, pitching 62 innings and boasting a 3-1 record and a 1.31 ERA while recording 32 saves. He was a huge factor in the Mets 101-win season and he was rewarded with a five-year, $102 million contract with the club in the offseason.

The Mets team that Díaz last played for was in a much different spot than the one this season. The Mets have stumbled to a 60-71 record despite entering the season with the highest payroll in MLB and were sellers at the deadline. Important pieces like first baseman Pete Alonso could be gone in the offseason and the future is less secure than it was when Díaz entered games with his iconic walk-up song.

It seems a bit puzzling to rush Díaz back in a troubled season, given that the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons view a torn patellar tendon as at least a six-month injury. This would mean that he would return Sept. 16 at the earliest.

Díaz, though, has shown a desire to return in 2023 since April.

Cincinnati Reds All-Star closer Alexis Díaz said Tuesday that his brother, New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, is recovering well after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his right knee in March.

David Lennon of Newsday relayed the news.

Alexis Diaz on brother Edwin's rehab from knee surgery: “He’s doing really well. He’s been going out and throwing 125 to 150 feet every day. He’s been recovering pretty fast. He’s a true athlete and really can recover quickly, so I hope to see him out there really soon.” #Mets

— David Lennon (@DPLennon) July 11, 2023

Díaz suffered the injury during a postgame celebration with Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic. He had just registered a save in a 5-2 win over the Dominican Republic to send his team to the tournament quarterfinals.

Díaz and the rest of his teammates began jumping in celebration before the closer fell down on the field. He was taken off in a wheelchair.

His injury was expected to be season-ending, but some encouraging signs have popped up in addition to his brother's comments.

Of note, the Mets closer was seen playing catch at Citi Field in June.

Edwin Díaz does some throwing at Citi Field 👀 pic.twitter.com/7NTspKsNIM

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 16, 2023

He posted a picture of his rehab the week before:

Let’s go🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/A4wwtFdNZp

— Edwin Diaz (@SugarDiaz39) June 8, 2023

Diaz was given a six-to-eight month timeline to return, but he mentioned even as early as April that he could beat that frame, as noted by Pat Ragazzo of Inside the Mets.

"If everything goes well, I think I can be back sooner than eight months," Díaz said in part.

"They want me to get better first and then they'll see how I'm responding and my strength and all these things that I have to do, and then start throwing," he explained. "If the tests come back good, I might throw this year.

"I'm feeling great. We are working hard to see if I can come back as soon as possible, but everything is going in the right direction right now with the team, and the doctors say I'm doing great, so I'm really happy."

The 29-year-old Díaz is a two-time All-Star who dominated last year to the tune of a 1.31 ERA and 32 saves. He finished ninth in the Cy Young voting for his efforts.

If what's happening with the New York Mets is any indication, $350 million can buy many stars but not much security.

With their 101-win romp through 2022 still visible in the rearview, things are already beginning to look catastrophic for the Mets in 2023. Losses in 12 of 15 games have dropped them to 17-19 and pushed them eight games behind Atlanta in the National League East.

Oh, and now one of their three-time Cy Young Award winners is hurt.

Just when Justin Verlander finally came off the injured list, Max Scherzer's body is breaking down. He was already pitching through discomfort under his right scapula, and then neck spasms forced the Mets to scratch him from his scheduled start on Tuesday.

This is presumably not what Mets owner Steve Cohen was hoping for during a George Steinbrenner-esque offseason spree in which he ran his club's payroll into record-setting territory in the $350 million range—and that's not even counting inevitable luxury-tax penalties that will push the final bill over $400 million.

The obligatory bright side is that there's still time for the Mets to turn things around. But with the club's playoff odds at FanGraphs having already fallen from 77.1 to 56.6 percent since Opening Day, the object of the game going forward must be not patience, but urgency.

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Some of This Is Bad Roster Construction

Any dissection of what's gone wrong with the Mets must begin with a starting rotation that's been...well, what's a stronger word than "putrid?"

You know a rotation is going bad when a 5.44 ERA is one of its less incriminating statistics. Worse is the minus-0.1 wins above replacement compiled by Mets starters. That puts them ahead of only the Oakland Athletics, who you may have heard are kinda bad.

The Mets were, of course, supposed to have one of the best rotations in Major League Baseball. Maybe even the best if Scherzer and Verlander did their thing to lead the strong supporting trio of José Quintana, Carlos Carrasco and Japanese sensation Kodai Senga.

Yet it's not surprising that Senga is the only one who's made all of his scheduled starts so far. He's still "only" 30, whereas the others are 34 and older. Had the Mets gotten so much as 24 starts out of each of them in 2023, that would have been a historic first.

If anything, it's a bigger surprise that the Mets offense's scoring is down about a half a run per game from 2022, wherein it ranked third among NL teams, to 2023, wherein it ranks 11th.

At the same time, though, the organization's mistake was in thinking that last year's production was sustainable.

Of the six clubs that scored over 4.7 runs per game last season, the Mets lagged behind the rest with their 171 home runs and 62 stolen bases. They had a long-form offense that thrived on productive outs and hits with runners in scoring position. A house of cards if there ever was one, so go figure that neither have been there in as much abundance in 2023.

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Some of This Is Also Bad Luck

In fairness to the Mets offense, it isn't getting the same returns on hard-hit balls as it did last season. Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte have especially felt the sting of that, so maybe lay off them for having not lived up to $419 million worth of contracts yet.

In other words, Lindor had a point when he said this on Saturday: "I still believe we have one of the best offensive teams out there. We just haven't put it together collectively."

The Mets also could not have anticipated $102 million closer Edwin Díaz tearing his ACL in the World Baseball Classic, which has unsurprisingly had a downstream effect on the club's relief pitching. If David Robertson and Adam Ottavino were working the eighth instead of the ninth, the Mets' ERA in the former wouldn't be so much higher.

And as easy as it is to point out that the Mets' approach to their rotation during the winter has failed, it's harder to outline how they could have done better.

With Jacob deGrom on the IL with yet another elbow issue and Taijuan Walker and Chris Bassitt both struggling out of the gate, the Mets wouldn't be much better off if they had retained the three of them. Nor would they be any better off if they had signed Carlos Rodón, whose injury history now includes a chronic back ailment.

Taking things even further, Carlos Correa's cold start—a .185/.261/.363 slash line is a yikes—ought to make the Mets relieved he's not standing in Brett Baty's way at third base.

And for all the handwringing about how the Mets needed to sign a designated hitter, Daniel Vogelbach has done just fine there. If he falters, it'll be easier to push him aside for red-hot Triple-A prospect Mark Vientos than it would have been with, say, J.D. Martinez or Justin Turner.

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It's Not Too Early to Be Thinking Trades

Beyond calling up Vientos, other in-house moves the Mets can make to spur things in the right direction include swapping out Marte for Jeff McNeil in the No. 2 hole and recalling Denyi Reyes, who looked good in a scoreless April, to pitch out of the bullpen.

Otherwise, it's hard to count on the club's other flaws suddenly fixing themselves.

Future Hall of Famer though he may be, Scherzer is also a 38-year-old whose fastball velocity and contact rates were sounding alarm bells even before the injury bug nipped him. This, of course, is to say nothing of the sticky stuff question that looms over him.

Carrasco was likewise struggling with velocity and contact before he went on the IL with elbow inflammation. Factoring in that Quintana isn't due back from rib surgery until July, that's three starters who the Mets shouldn't count on for too much going forward.

As to the offense, signing former Yankees All-Star Gary Sánchez is what they refer to on the gridiron as a "desperation heave." The Mets' best hope at catcher remains the possibility of Francisco Álvarez, who homered twice on Tuesday, becoming the next Sánchez.

A 2-homer game for Francisco Álvarez! pic.twitter.com/Toqqtcv9Tq

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 10, 2023

It's really left field that's most in need of an external upgrade. Mark Canha has gotten the bulk of the reps there and put up just a .654 OPS, and there isn't much in his underlying metrics to redeem him.

Where trade options are concerned, Shohei Ohtani is hardly worth considering while the Los Angeles Angels are contending for a change. As Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported in April, there's a "zero percent chance" of the 2021 American League MVP going anywhere.

As to who could be out there, Jim Bowden of The Athletic isn't wrong to point to Lucas Giolito and Eduardo Rodriguez as ace-caliber starters who could be available. It's also hard to imagine a better solution for the Mets' left field hole than Joc Pederson.

Though the MLB trade deadline is not until Aug. 1, it's not too soon for Mets general manager Billy Eppler to start working the phones. And assuming he hasn't backed off his "time's running out" stance on delivering a World Series championship, Cohen's input must be that there's plenty more where the $350 million came from.

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Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.

After suffering a torn patellar tendon in his right knee during the World Baseball Classic last month, New York Mets star closer Edwin Díaz is optimistic about his recovery.

On Wednesday, Díaz told reporters that he believes there's a chance he will be able to return to the mound during the 2023 season.

"If everything goes well, I think I can be back sooner than that eight months," he said.

Díaz is in the early stages of his rehab process and working on strengthening the knee. He's still walking on crutches, so it will be a while before he's ready to run full speed and pitch.

While he's away from the mound, he's reportedly focused on resistance exercises to keep his throwing arm strong. The 29-year-old is trying to stay positive, but he's aware that his recovery might keep him out for the entire 2023 season.

"Everything is going in the right direction right now … and the doctors say I'm doing great," Díaz said. "So I'm really happy. The recovery is eight months. Some people do it before. Some people do it after. As of right now, I'm just looking forward to getting my knee better and trying to come as soon as possible."

With Díaz unavailable, the Mets have turned to veteran reliever David Robertson as their primary closer. Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley are also options to pitch in the ninth inning, but none of them compare to New York's sidelined All-Star.

Díaz put forth an excellent season in 2022 with 32 saves, a 1.31 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP and 118 strikeouts in 62 innings. The Mets hope he will be in top form when he returns to the mound.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic has been a thrill ride for most, but not for the New York Mets and their fanbase.

Closing pitcher Edwin Díaz suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee last week. It happened during a post-game celebration after he helped send the Puerto Rico national team to the quarterfinals with a win over the Dominican Republic.

Díaz signed a five-year, $102 million contract in December and was expected to be a key cog for New York this season and moving forward. His injury leaves the club, which is hoping to return to the World Series for the first time since 2015, in a predicament.

It's likely the 29-year-old will miss the entire season, though it's not a guarantee.

"There are instances where athletes have come back earlier, more around the six-month mark," Mets general manager Billy Eppler told reporters. "But those are a little bit more of the exception than the rule."

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, there is a belief that Díaz could return for postseason play:

"Through happenstance, quick action by medical personnel, and even a thoughtful gesture by owner Steve Cohen, the Mets may have increased Diaz's odds, however slightly, of returning to the mound in time for a potential World Series run.

"'There is some optimism,' a person close to Díaz told The Athletic. 'You never know.'"

While New York would love to have Díaz back in the lineup in the fall, it still has a 162-game regular season to navigate. Whether his recovery is on the short end or not, the Mets need a place-filler in the closing rotation.

This brings us to Cincinnati Reds reliever Alexis Díaz, who also happens to be Edwin Díaz's younger brother.

The 26-year-old made his MLB debut last season and went 7-3 in 59 appearances (63.2 innings) with 10 saves and a 1.84 ERA. He clearly isn't as established as his older brother, but he's still young and has flashed promise as a closer.

The Mets have looked into uniting the Díaz brothers before, according to SNY's Andy Martino.

"Last July, according to sources, the Mets contacted the Cincinnati Reds in an effort to trade for reliever Alexis Díaz," he wrote in November. "New York deemed the price high enough to call into question whether Díaz was available."

The Mets reportedly have not been in contact with Cincinnati since Edwin's injury.

Nick Krall #Reds GM, just told us that #Mets GM Billy Eppler has not called him yet to inquire about the availability of Edwin Diaz's brother and Reds back-end reliever Alexis Diaz. #FYI

— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) March 20, 2023

However, New York must seriously consider making a run at Alexis Díaz, and for a couple of reasons—beyond the fact that it would be a terrific feel-good story.

For one, the Díaz brothers are reportedly very close.

"According to people who know the Díaz family well, Edwin was extremely engaged in Alexis' rookie season last year. One friend jokingly referred to Edwin as a 'Little League parent' to Alexis," Martino wrote.

Adding Alexis would likely have a positive impact on the locker room, and Edwin's presence could help his brother quickly adapt to his new surroundings. While Edwin might not be able to contribute in the regular season, he could aid his brother as he learns to face opposing NL East lineups and the nuances of Citi Field.

Secondly, Alexis is a promising 26-year-old who will be under team control for the foreseeable future. Trading for the younger Díaz wouldn't be just a stopgap move. There could be a ton of long-term value in it for the Mets.

Lastly, the Reds are in full-on rebuilding mode and no player is untouchable—they've even admitted they could move franchise star Joey Votto under the right circumstances:

Nick Krall #Reds GM told us their plan is for Joey Votto to finish his career as a Red. However, if the Reds are out of it at the trade deadline and Votto came to them and asked if they would trade him home to Toronto #BlueJays..he said he would consider under those circumstances

— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) March 20, 2023

While Alexis Díaz would likely command a high asking price, Cincinnati might demand less than a team that's looking to win now would.

"The Reds are 'all-in' on their rebuild and if they can 'win' a prospect trade, GM Nick Krall would pull the trigger," The Athletic's Jim Bowden wrote.

The Mets undoubtedly don't want to part with top prospects such as Francisco Álvarez and Brett Baty, but they have a deep farm system and might work out an offer to which Cincinnati is amenable that doesn't include them.

It's worth at least finding out Cincinnati's asking price. New York has gone all-in on this season with a league-high $304.7 million payroll. Trading for Alexis is a move that could help the Mets navigate Edwin's injury and potentially aid them well into the future.

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*Payroll and contract information via Spotrac.

Amid the injury to closer Edwin Díaz in the World Baseball Classic, the Mets have not gone after Díaz's young brother Alexis, who plays for Cincinnati and was a trade candidate for New York last season.

Reds general manager Nick Krall said Monday he hasn't received any contact from the Mets front office or general manager Billy Eppler regarding the 26-year-old reliever, per CBS Sports' Jim Bowden.

Alexis Díaz was reportedly a target for New York in 2022 but the price was deemed too high.

New York's bullpen is in a state of flux after the injury to Edwin Díaz, who is set to miss eight months with a torn patellar tendon that he suffered during Puerto Rico's on-field celebrations after eliminating the Dominican Republic from the WBC.

While not as heralded as his older brother, Alexis Díaz had a solid 2022 season as he finished the year with a 7-3 record, 10 saves, a 1.84 ERA and a 3.1 WAR in 59 games as a rookie. He also had an extremely impressive 11.73 strikeouts per nine innings.

He made his MLB debut on April 8, 2022.

Any deal for Alexis Díaz would still likely come with a pretty steep asking price. In addition to his solid rookie campaign, he is also under team control through the 2027 season.

New York's bullpen is now headlined by David Robertson and Adam Ottavino. Robertson, a former All-Star and World Series champion with the Yankees, was signed to a one-year contract with the Mets on Dec. 9.

It is very likely that the torn patellar tendon that New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz suffered during the World Baseball Classic ended his 2023 MLB season before it even began. But it's not definitive just yet.

"There is some optimism," a person close to Díaz told The Athletic's Will Sammon. "You never know."

To all my beloved fans, especially the Mets fans, I want to let you know that I am doing well and healing. I feel blessed and grateful for your support with messages and prayers, thank you very much! I can't wait to see you guys in NY again and play those trumpets. pic.twitter.com/fnOezkW6Mr

— Edwin Diaz (@SugarDiaz39) March 17, 2023

As Sammon noted, a few chance circumstances should improve Díaz's recovery. For one, Mets physician Dr. James Carr was already in Miami for the WBC and was able to quickly examine him and offer an initial diagnosis of a torn patellar tendon.

Medical director Dr. David Altchek was also in town for a second opinion, and because the Hospital for Special Surgery has a South Florida location, Díaz was able to have surgery Thursday afternoon after suffering the injury Wednesday night.

And the Mets already sent a trainer, nutritionist and personal chef to his Port St. Lucie, Florida, home to assist in his recovery process, per Sammon.

"We're going to do everything we can to get you better and take care of you," team owner Steve Cohen reportedly told Díaz in a phone call, per Sammon.

There is no guarantee that a quick turnaround on surgery will ensure that Díaz can return this season. It's more likely he'll miss the 2023 campaign still—general manager Billy Eppler told reporters on Thursday the timeline for Díaz's injury is generally eight months. But it certainly increases his odds of coming back at some point this year.

Not the start to Díaz's five-year, $102 million extension the Mets would have hoped for. Losing a closer—one who has registered 30 or more saves four times in his career, and 32 saves in each of the last two campaigns—is a major blow.

But maybe it won't be for the entire year. It's a long shot, but it's better odds than nothing.

The New York Mets have likely lost their closer for the 2023 season, but the injury to Edwin Díaz won't cost them financially.

According to Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mets will be reimbursed by MLB insurance for the pitcher's time on the injured list. MLB has an insurance policy in place for the World Baseball Classic, and it could cover Díaz's entire $18.64 million salary if he does not return this season.

Díaz underwent surgery Thursday to repair the patellar tendon in his right knee. The injury came during a celebration after Puerto Rico earned a win over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday.

Edwin Diaz appears to have suffered an injury during Puerto Rico's celebration pic.twitter.com/G9Md6SBrEj

— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) March 16, 2023

Mets general manager Billy Eppler said the expected timeline for recovery is eight months, which would keep the two-time All-Star out until after the postseason in November.

The high-profile injury sparked question marks about the value of the WBC. It's a tough pill for Mets fans to swallow, losing a key player to a season-ending injury when he's not even competing for the team.

The insurance policy could soften the blow, especially after Díaz became the highest-paid reliever in MLB history when he signed a five-year, $102 million contract in November.

New York could use the money to help replace him on the roster and strengthen the bullpen. The Mets planned to attend a showcase held by veteran reliever Zack Britton on Thursday, per Mike Puma of the New York Post, while Jim Bowden of The Athletic listed potential trade targets like Daniel Bard and Alexis Díaz.

Then again, the Mets haven't been shy about spending money under owner Steve Cohen and will easily lead the majors in payroll even without Díaz's salary for 2023.