Mets Get Elite Reliever Back to Uplift Struggling Bullpen

The New York Mets will get their elite hurler back from suspension on Saturday. They're hoping he will be the savior in their struggling bullpen.

Apr 7, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) pitches against the Cincinnati Reds in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

He's back and just in the nick of time.

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz is finished serving his 10-game suspension for getting ejected for a sticky substance on June 23 at Wrigley Field.

Diaz came out to try to lock down a save for the Mets in a 5-2 game against the Chicago Cubs, but was tossed by the umpiring crew before the start of the ninth inning. According to league rules, an ejection for sticky stuff comes along with an automatic 10-game suspension.

The Mets were unable to replace Diaz's roster spot during his suspension, so they were playing short-handed in this span. And in this stretch, the bullpen had an ERA of 8.37 without Diaz, which was the worst-mark in baseball, as Tim Healey of Newsday noted.

Prior to his suspension, Diaz had just returned from a brief 15-day stint on the injured list due to a shoulder impingement. The hard-throwing righty threw three scoreless appearances upon coming off the IL, and looked back to his old form. However, he was forced to miss another 10-games due to his ejection for being deemed too sticky.

Diaz had immense struggles earlier in the season, which saw him lose his job as the Mets' closer. The 30-year-old missed all of last season after tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee, which resulted in a major surgery.

Multiple talent evaluators believe Diaz was throwing with his upper-body too much in the midst of his rough stretch this season. It's possible that he was trying to protect his surgically repaired knee. Luckily, he seemed to have figured things out mechanically during his time on the IL along with a short minor league rehab assignment.

The Mets are hoping that Diaz's presence will help turnaround their struggling bullpen, and fast. Time will tell whether Diaz's impact becomes infectious to the rest of the unit.