Edwin Díaz Makes Brotherly History in Dramatic Mets’ Win

New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz and his younger brother, Reds' closer Alexis Díaz, made family history during Friday night’s matchup.

Sep 6, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) reacts during the ninth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Mets are firing on all cylinders as they enter the weekend on an eight-game win streak. While third baseman Mark Vientos provided the walk-off heroics for the Mets on Friday night, closer Edwin Díaz may have had the most to smile about after the dramatic victory. 

Friday's game marked a milestone for the Díaz brothers, as Edwin and his younger brother, Alexis, pitched in the same game for the first time — not just in MLB, but in their entire lives. Growing up in Puerto Rico, the two never faced off, as Alexis, now the Cincinnati Reds’ closer, was two years younger and their paths rarely crossed on the field. However, they were teammates when they represented their country in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

“The WBC is the only time we played together,” Alexis told MLB.com's Bill Ladson, with teammate Nick Martinez translating. “We never played together growing up. Playing catch together in the backyard growing up was probably the only time.” 

With their parents, grandparents, uncles, cousins, and friends from Puerto Rico watching in the crowd, Edwin entered a tied ballgame in the top of the ninth to face the heart of the Reds’ lineup. He struck out the side on just 14 pitches, consistently hitting triple digits with his fastball. In the bottom half, Alexis took the mound, working around a hit-by-pitch to keep the Mets off the board and send the game into extra innings.

Despite the game’s significant playoff implications for the Mets, Edwin couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride watching his younger brother shine in a crucial moment. 

“We want to win,” Edwin said, grinning from ear to ear. “At the same time, I want [Alexis] to do good. He did good, and we got the ‘W.’ … He’s gotta be good because I struck out the side and got the zero.” 

"He's gotta be good because I struck out the side and got the zero" 😂

Edwin Díaz talks about pitching against his brother Alexis tonight: pic.twitter.com/Y9KneNRxrT

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 7, 2024

Edwin also mentioned that he would save the lineup cards from both teams as a memento, calling it “special” for two brothers from a small hometown to share the field in the big leagues. 

Vientos sealed the victory for the Mets with a walk-off, two-run homer off Reds reliever Justin Wilson in the 10th. The win kept the Mets tied with the Braves for the third NL Wild Card spot, while both teams gained ground on the Diamondbacks, who lost 8-0 to the Astros. 

As the Mets’ hot streak continues, Edwin Díaz has been heating up as well. Since his blown save on Aug. 28 in Arizona, the Mets’ closer has faced 16 batters and struck out 12. His first season back from a torn patellar tendon has had its ups and downs, but there have been encouraging signs of the dominant pitcher he was in 2022. After sitting in the mid-to-upper 90s with his fastball earlier in the season, Díaz’s velocity has recently returned to where it used to be. He fired his hardest pitch of the year — a 100.8 mph four-seamer — on Wednesday and hit 100.2 mph again on Friday. 

When asked about the resurgence of his fastball, Edwin credited both his renewed confidence after adjusting his mechanics and the heightened intensity of September baseball. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza echoed this sentiment during his postgame press conference. 

“That’s what really good closers do, short-term memory and the ability to turn the page,” Mendoza said. “He knows where we’re at on the calendar now, and you can see there’s that extra gear.” 

The Díaz brothers are set to face each other two more times as the Mets and Reds wrap up their three-game series this weekend. Given their recent high usage, it is hard to predict when they will next appear in the same game.