New York Mets Relieved, Playoff Hopes Intact as Star Closer Nears Triumphant Injury Return

The trumpets of celebration have remained silent for a while now. But recently, the New York Mets replaced the deafening silence with a collective sigh of relief. The Mets nation echoes a relaxing breather, all thanks to Edwin Diaz. 

‘Flame-throwing closer’ Diaz whose absence in 2023 haunted the Mets, is back. And he brings with him a renewed hope for a dominant bullpen. Is this the playoff push that the team needs? Well, before being too confident in answering that, it’s important to look at his history. 

The New York Mets Finally Optimistic On Playoff Hopes

The 29-year-old’s injury, a torn patellar tendon, was quite a blow to his career. Not only did it cause a huge trough in Edwin Diaz’s career trajectory, but also sent shockwaves among the entirety of the Mets’ pitching staff. The team’s plight forced them to patchwork solutions in the ninth inning. With that, the team’s late-game lead evaporated. But the worst was yet to come. 

Their record when leading after eight innings spiked downward from a near-perfect 89-0 to a wobbly 64-2. That was the start of a terrible downfall from 2022 to 2023. The impact seeped out of the box score. The ripple effect saw the bullpen falter even in the seventh and eighth innings. This robbed the team of late-game momentum. 

But good for the Mets, Diaz is back and completely recovered. The Mets’ pitching scenario looks optimistically different. The closer’s presence enables them to establish roles in the bullpen, allowing relievers to be confident and stable. He definitely “makes everything so much easier,” David Stearns, President of Baseball Operations shared his sentiment. 

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But the confidence is not just reflected by the Mets. Díaz too exudes confidence. He stated, “I think we would have been better last year if I was pitching.” What’s even better is that he targets reaching the playoffs. At this point, he shares a common goal with the team about winning rather than his individual success. That’s perhaps what the Mets needed all the while. 

Is Edwin Diaz The Missing Piece of The Met’s Puzzle?

There is no ruling out that Diaz has work to do before he electrifies Citi Field. He must use Spring Training as a platform to prove himself. That’s his chance to refine his pitches and rebound to his top-notch form.  

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Despite the inevitable optimism, one question remains – Can Diaz reproduce his 2022 allure? Well, statistics suggest that while the Mets weren’t drastically low in save situations, his absence definitely impacted the entire pitching flow. His return might just serve as the missing piece the Mets need to fulfill their pursuit of the Commissioner’s Trophy.