Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

When Edwin Díaz suffered his torn petallar tendon injury during the World Baseball Classic, it seemed like the earliest we would be seeing him pitch again would be at the start of the 2024 season. However, according to Díaz himself, there remains at least a possibility we could see him back in uniform before the end of this season.

Díaz met with reporters ahead of the Mets’ game on Wednesday afternoon, and said that he would not rule out pitching this season if his knee continues to respond well, noting that he was currently getting great indicators from doctors about his recovery.

When asked specifically if he thought he could be back by October, Díaz said that he said he thought he could back sooner than eight months if “everything goes well.”

While a return still far off in the distance, it’s great to see Díaz in good spirits and feeling optimistic about his chances of returning to the mound sooner rather than later. The Mets’ bullpen has held things down reasonably well thus far in Díaz’s absence, with David Robertson looking particularly dominant, but the team is obviously much, much difference with a healthy Díaz lurking in the bullpen to close things out.

Díaz is in year one of a five-year, $102 million deal he signed this offseason. The most important thing for the team will be to not rush him back to the mound until he’s completely ready to pitch. Still, even the faintest possibilities that Mets’ fans will be able to hear “Narcos” blasted at Citi Field at some point this season is a promising development.