Former MLB closer and World Series champion Brad Lidge went on MLB Network Radio on Friday and expressed optimism on Edwin Diaz when asked about him.
“The fastball is still electric, almost 100 strikeouts in 58 innings,” Lidge noted. “So, the stuff should be there. Like it shocks me that he gave up as many home runs as he did last year. … If I’m a betting man, I go with Diaz having a very good season this year.”
Diaz, 25, as we all know struggled mightily in his first season in New York to the tune of a 5.59 ERA, 4.51 FIP, and 1.379 WHIP. However, he still registered a 15.4 K/9 rate as compared to 3.4 BB/9.
As alluded to previously, the number of homers he gave up last season was a big problem for him as he allowed 15 homers in 2019.
“You gotta go from a thrower to a pitcher,” Lidge added about Diaz. “He missed over the middle of the plate with that slider so many times. That slider can be a strike one early in the count and then you move it out of the strike zone. I think he just has to, in my opinion, evolve on the command of the slider and realize it’s not just something you throw as hard as you can. You can’t throw everything 110%. … Maybe back off here and there. Learn to command the pitch.”
His ability to command the slider definitely was an issue this season and his ability to re-harness that pitch could be quite important for him and his ability to succeed going forward.
The Mets will need Edwin Diaz to figure it out in 2020 as he’s a big part of their bullpen going forward for better or for worse.
