Mets' Manager Admits Elite Hurler’s Return Makes For ‘Totally Different Ballgame’

Carlos Mendoza was honest about closer Edwin Díaz's impact on his team after Saturday's win.

Jun 14, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) delivers a pitch against the San Diego Padres during the ninth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

He looks like the savior.

New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz returned to his team on Saturday after serving a 10-game suspension from Major League Baseball for allegedly having a foreign substance on his pitching hand.

Díaz pitched a clean ninth inning to secure a 5-2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, notching his eighth save of the 2024 season.

Mets relievers posted a league-worst 8.37 ERA in Díaz's absence (per Tim Healey of Newsday), which proves that they sorely needed their closer back

The 30-year-old is now 2-1 on the season with a 4.50 ERA in 24 appearances. And after Saturday's win, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza discussed Díaz’s impact while speaking with reporters. 

“Obviously, it’s a totally different ballgame when you have Edwin Díaz ready to go in the ninth,” Mendoza said, per SNY. “I was able to be more aggressive making the decision [to get] the starter out of the game.

“So yeah, huge bounce-back win and great job by the bullpen today,” Mendoza added. 

"It's a totally different ballgame when you know you have Edwin Díaz ready to go in the 9th."

Carlos Mendoza talks about how Edwin Díaz's return helps the rest of the Mets' bullpen: pic.twitter.com/KXqOVeZyS2

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 6, 2024

Díaz also addressed the media after securing the save. Díaz admitted that he “was a little bit anxious at first." 

When asked how he settled down from that initial anxiety, Díaz responded, "Just throwing strikes. I was a little bit excited and was trying to be perfect. As soon as I had the hit by pitch, I just concentrated [on] trying to make my pitches.” 

Edwin Díaz says he felt "really good" in his return to the mound pic.twitter.com/c4dvvqqAMY

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 6, 2024

The Mets’ closer also noted that he apologized to his teammates after receiving the suspension. When asked whether he considered appealing it, Díaz said, “We just didn't think it [was] worth getting in a battle with MLB about it.

"I talked to the front office and the coaches, and we just wanted to kind of move forward," he added. 

Díaz’s return puts the Mets in a position to catch fire again before the July 30 trade deadline.