Mets Being Very Careful With Superstar Closer In First Season Back From Injury

The New York Mets are taking it slow with their elite closer, who is finally back from a brutal injury.

Port St. Lucie - The New York Mets are thrilled to have superstar closer Edwin Diaz back from injury this season, and so is Diaz.

However, Diaz is coming off major surgery after tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee during the World Baseball Classic last March. So while he is ready to jump back into action, the Mets need to be cautious.

According to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, the coaching and training staff is being very careful with Diaz and having him pull back a little at this point in spring training given how early it is. 

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza says the coaching and training staff have been conscious of telling Edwin Diaz to pull it back a bit at this point in the calendar after missing a full season

— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) February 21, 2024

This is a well thought out strategy, as the Mets need Diaz to be the elite hurler he was back in 2022, where he posted an astounding 1.31 ERA, 0.84 WHIP and 32 saves while striking out 118 batters in 62 innings.

Essentially, the Mets have swapped David Robertson, now with the Texas Rangers, for Diaz as their closer. Robertson took over the ninth inning from spring training on after Diaz went down early. During his stint as closer, the righty did well with a 2.05 ERA and 14 saves prior to getting traded to the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline. While Robertson was more than solid, Diaz is one of the best closers in the game and is a major upgrade for the Mets' bullpen.

The Mets have not added many big name high leverage relievers beyond bringing back Adam Ottavino, signing lefty Jake Diekman and adding 2022 All-Star closer Jorge Lopez, who is coming off a down year. They also have lefty Brooks Raley and righty Drew Smith returning. So Diaz's presence is valued even more in the Mets' pen.

Diaz and the Mets are excited he is back, but the team is taking the proper precautions with their prized closer in order to avoid any future injuries and keep him healthy for the long haul.