Edwin Díaz dominating in the Big Apple
He was part of the trade that was supposed to doom the Mets and general manager Brodie Van Wagenen even before spring training had begun. It was December, and the Mets were stepping into a brave, new world – and it wasn’t just about their new architect.
No, this was a makeover that included a breathtaking gamble. Among the pieces Van Wagenen traded to the Mariners were two first-round draft picks in exchange for Robinson Canó and closer Edwin Díaz. The social media horde ambushed the rookie executive for what looked like more than just a lapse in judgment. Van Wagenen had plunged into the abyss.
First was Canó – a 36-year-old ex-Yankee who’d been suspended for 80 games for his use of performance enhancing drugs in 2018. That was strike one. The other was the six-year-contract the Mets were picking up. On the street, that’s called baggage. In the young man’s game that baseball has become, there’s no greater sin than loading up with old guys making big money.
But Van Wagenen was hardly bound by new-school conventions. Remember, this is the same general manager who plucked Al Leiter from the Yankees’ broadcast booth to serve as his personal consultant. Then, pushing the envelope even further, Van Wagenen hired Jessica Mendoza, an ESPN analyst and former Olympic softball star, to join the brain trust as well.
It didn’t matter that Mendoza had never actually played the sport she was now offering her expertise on. Van Wagenen had a hunch that after several years in the booth Mendoza was sufficiently acquainted with the industry to be an asset. Optics be damned – the larger goal in Flushing was winning, not caving to the purists.
So imagine Van Wagenen’s response when he had a chance to add Díaz on the back end of the Canó deal. Not only did he like the idea, he flat-out insisted on it. The GM couldn’t have cared less about the Mets’ projected mediocrity and how little they were supposed to need a closer. Once again the GM doubled down: with Canó and Díaz on board, he actually declared the Mets favorites in the East. Talk about guts.
Of course, no one argued with Díaz’ credentials: the 25-year-old righty, a native Puerto Rican, led the majors in 2018 with 57 saves off a 1.96 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and neuron-numbing 15.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Those numbers were good enough to land Díaz eighth in the AL Cy Young voting.
Just to reinforce his level of dominance, Díaz’ 44.3 percent strikeout rate was second in the majors only to Josh Hader.
All well and good, was the overall response to the acquisition, but weren’t the Mets building for the future? In the era of grooming one’s own prospects, shedding first-round draft picks is pure heresy – especially for a veteran on the bullet train to his 40th birthday and a closer who figured to be a luxury instead of a necessity.
Díaz, though, heard about the debate and was smart enough to avoid it. He was brought to New York to close out games, help the Mets win, take advantage of a wide-open NL East. He’d let Twitter handle the philosophical questions. Díaz instead listened to prescient advice from Canó, who learned a thing or two in his years with the Yankees.
“He told me not be nervous, just be the best player I can be,” Díaz said in spring training. “He said New York is great place to be a winner so that’s what I’m focusing on. I’m very happy to be with the Mets.”
Although he took the loss in Monday’s 5-4 loss to the Reds, Díaz had been otherwise true to his word.
He has converted each of his eight save opportunities while averaging almost two strikeouts an inning (20 in 10 ⅔ innings) with only two walks. For that Díaz can thank his explosive, high-90s fastball, which is further weaponized by a herky-jerky, short-arm delivery. If it looks like hitters hate stepping into the box against Díaz, it’s because they absolutely do.
They swing and miss at nearly 25 percent of his pitches, the highest percentage in the majors and proof that it really does matter who takes the ball in the ninth inning. The analytics cult may not be able to quantify the effects of a blown save but ask any manager about the damage inflicted in the dugout and, ultimately, in the clubhouse.
That’s why Van Wagenen was adamant about adding Díaz – not just for the save total but the peace of mind for the team he’s assembled in 2019. The Mets may or may not rule the East as the new GM has boldly predicted. But they’re planning to make noise, especially over those last three outs, courtesy of the man who’s perfected the craft of getting those last three outs.
That’s the new motto for the ninth inning at Citi Field: property of Edwin Díaz.
Featured Image: New York Mets Twitter