Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

It is the day after.

A somber day of mourning for Mets fans.

Edwin Díaz is out for the season following knee surgery.

It feels to many like the sun was suddenly wiped out indefinitely.

All the joy, all the excitement, all the anticipation—muted.

This is not just the loss of a player. It’s not even just the loss of a great player. Lights-out closers have gotten hurt before; Mariano Rivera, the greatest closer of all time, tore his ACL early in the 2012 season.

It’s Edwin Díaz. He started a frenzy at Citi Field every time his name was called. He endured a tough start n New York, including merciless booing for the crime of having been traded for Jarred Kelenic. He got through it all and became one of the Mets most beloved players, one who spread his boundless joy through fans and teammates. The fighter, the hard worker, the endless optimist.

Naturally, it’s Díaz who’s encouraging his devastated fans.

Many fans were frustrated and sad. There were downcast faces from SNY analysts and even from Howie Rose, the radio voice of the team.

Díaz was not only the most dominant closer in baseball last year. Yes, he earned a five-year, $102 million deal, the richest for a reliever in baseball history, but it wasn’t just because of his elite play. It was because he’s the bedrock of the culture the Mets have imbued in their clubhouse.

Díaz should be the center of Mets’ celebrations this year. Instead, he was sidelined by a celebration while representing a country he loves. There is no blame to pass around: Díaz and his fellow World Baseball Classic players would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Although it’s difficult for many American fans to understand, country comes foremost in the hearts and minds of most players around the world.

No more trumpets at Citi Field for the year—although there are sure to be events that will bring out peeks of those brighter days. The energy just will not be the same.

This is a terrible blow to the Mets’ energy as a team. Obviously, they will do their best to move forward on the field. David Robertson is the most obvious candidate to take Díaz’s closer role, and Adam Ottavino is also an option. Both players pitched well last season and have extensive experience in difficult circumstances.

Although neither will replace Díaz’s dominance, they can do a solid job. Replacing the replacement will be trickier, although the Mets are more likely to sign Zack Britton now that Díaz is down.

The bigger question for the Mets is if they can bring up that same energy level. Going through a game with a dominant closer meant that the team just had to get the ball to Díaz. When the trumpets sounded and number 39 came out of the bullpen, it was a signal not just to the fans but to the players, as well: game over.

They will need to find other ways to carry that energy. Obviously, there are other teams that win without a Díaz in their bullpen, but it was such a staple of the Mets’ 2022 season. The adjustment will be difficult.

Meanwhile, there’s also a lot of room for Mets fans to feel a world of pain and empathy for Díaz himself, not just for having lost him. The most friendly, cheerful, determined, focused, and endearing person has had his dreams for the year crushed.

Buck Showalter said it best.

Steve Cohen added to Showalter’s sentiment. More than just the team, it’s about the man.

Some Mets fans are calling for the team to trade for Reds pitcher Alexis Díaz, Edwin’s brother and fellow Puerto Rico representative. Alexis is a dominant pitcher in his own right, pitching to a 1.84 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 3.1 WAR in 2022. Though the chances are slim that such a deal would happen, it is understandable that fans would want something to lift their spirits after such a crushing blow. Indeed, Alexis himself was crying on the field after seeing what happened to his brother.

The Mets will recover. Their quest for a World Series will continue, and they will find other ways to stay motivated, including playing this season for their injured teammate. Fans will regain excitement in time, too.