Edwin Díaz Still Hopes to Pitch This Season

Mets closer Edwin Díaz told reporters on Monday that he’s still progressing, and he hopes to pitch for the Mets before the season ends.

“We’re feeling great. Our progress has been perfect,” Díaz said. “We are checking a lot of boxes, and we feel really good right now.”

Díaz said he threw his first bullpen session on Sunday, and that he was hitting 93-95 mph with his fastball — which was the range the Mets wanted him to stay in.

Díaz has been out the whole season after tearing his patellar tendon during a celebration in the World Baseball Classic. Before that, he had cemented himself as one of the best relievers in baseball for the Mariners and, now, the Mets. He had a dominant 2022 campaign, posting a 1.31 ERA while helping the Mets to a 101-win season. He also struck out an absurd 118 in 62 innings, good for a 17.1 K/9.

Without their closer, the Mets have faltered this year. A lack of Díaz is far from the only reason they’ve struggled, but they’ve certainly missed his presence at the backend of the bullpen.

“The goal is, I want to pitch this year,” Díaz said. “I want to finish the season on a positive note. I want to try to come back and help this team to win this year. But if not, I will work hard in the offseason to come ready next year.”

David Robertson, who would have been the Mets’ setup man, filled in nicely as New York’s temporary closer. But he was traded to Miami at the deadline, and the Mets have continued to sink well below their preseason expectations.

Whether the Mets will be competitive next year is still up in the air, but a Díaz return would mark the return of one of baseball’s best talents. A return this season would most likely be too little, too late for the Mets to make any noise in the dwindling Wild Card race, but it would still be an encouraging development for Díaz’s recovery to full health.