Despite struggling to a 5.59 ERA and posting a measly 0.0 fWAR in 2019, Mets closer Edwin Diaz was recently named by MLB Network as the ninth best relief pitcher going into the 2020 season.
Regarding Diaz, CJ Nitkowksi of MLB Network said “There’s enough of a track record. This guy should be an absolute force. […] I would take him in a heartbeat.”
While Diaz’s 2019 was certainly uneven, there is certainly is reason to be optimistic considering he’s only 25, and in 2018, he won the AL Reliever of the Year Award with the Mariners and was ranked by MLB Network as the top relief pitcher in all of baseball.
Diaz’s K/9 was similar in 2019 (15.36) as it was in his dominant 2018 (15.22). His main issues were with walks (2.09 BB/9 up to 3.41) and especially home runs, which skyrocketed from 0.61 to 2.33. He had a lot more trouble commanding his slider which was so effective in 2018, often wildly missing outside the zone or hanging them over the plate. As a result, his hard-hit % went from 29.3 to an ugly 48.8.
With Diaz’s youth and the fact that he still possesses electric stuff, it is smart to be cautiously optimistic about a forceful rebound in 2020. While the poor results of 2019 can’t be ignored, it would be foolish to simply lose faith in Diaz altogether. Despite his inconsistency in his first season with the Mets, striking out 99 batters in 58 innings is no small feat.
If Diaz can even come close to regaining his 2018 form, he will be a huge boost to a Mets bullpen that dragged the team into fourth place last year. While the overall scope of the trade that sent Diaz and Robinson Cano to the Mets looks awful, there are still benefits to be gained from a healthy, dominant Diaz.
