Edwin Diaz is not yet back as closer for the New York Mets.
Diaz pitched in the ninth inning for the first time since being removed from the closer role last week and was asked to protect a 2-1 lead against the San Francisco Giants on Saturday.
Unfortunately for the two-time All-Star reliever, his struggles continued in the ninth inning. Diaz gave up hits to two of the first three batters he faced, including a game-tying RBI single to LaMonte Wade Jr. He ended the inning by getting Curt Casali to ground out, but the outing went down after another save for Diaz. He now has four saves to his name this season.
The Giants won 7-2 in 10 innings, with Sean Reid-Foley giving up five runs (two earned), one walk and two hits. The bullpen squandered an excellent start by Luis Severino, who allowed one run and two hits with six strikeouts in seven innings.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza moved Diaz into a “fluid” role in the bullpen after allowing seven runs and seven hits in his previous three appearances. The idea was for Diaz to regain his confidence in lower leverage situations.
In his first appearance since then, Diaz pitched in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants on Friday night. He pitched a scoreless frame, striking out two batters and allowing one hit in an eventual 8-7 loss. That was apparently good enough for Mendoza, who said Diaz would likely pitch in the ninth inning on Saturday.
“He’s our closer,” Mendoza told reporters before Saturday’s game. ‘Even if he’s going through it now, I thought [Friday] was a good step in the right direction. I’ve said it: his mound work in Cleveland, even though he didn’t play a game, in some of the conversations we had with him, there was more conviction; it comes down to trusting his stuff.”
Diaz said he felt better, especially when throwing his fastball to right-handed hitters and lefties. But on the two hits he allowed Saturday, he left a fastball over the plate to Wilmer Flores and caught it in the middle of the strike zone to Wade.
“We have to stay with him, work with him and help him through it.” Mendoza said after the game. “Because he’s a big part of our bullpen. He’s got to keep working, he’s got to keep fighting. We’re going to keep getting him the ball and find some matchups for him.”
