Mets' Edwin Diaz has theory on springtime struggles

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz looked more like his old self when he returned to the bump and retired all three batters he faced in the top of the ninth inning of what became New York's 3-2 win over the Miami Marlins on Thursday night.

Diaz later offered a theory about his springtime struggles during a chat with Andy Martino of SNY.

"I think it was more being down a year," Diaz explained. "In spring training I ramped up quick. Maybe my shoulder was a little tired. I think it was."

Diaz, the 2022 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award winner, missed all of the 2023 season due to a torn patellar tendon in his right knee he suffered during the World Baseball Classic. 

His velocity this year was down from what it was in 2022 even before he squandered a handful of leads and suffered four blown saves in May, and he ultimately landed on the injured list late last month due to what was referred to as a shoulder impingement.

SNY's Danny Abriano noted earlier this week that Diaz previously acknowledged his confidence was "down" amid his poor performances. However, Martino revealed on Thursday that "one evaluator posited that Diaz this year was 'all arm, like he’s trying to protect the knee.'"

Diaz seemed to pour cold water over such an idea on Thursday.

"No not really, because my knee felt one hundred percent," Diaz said. "I didn't have any setbacks with my knee during my rehab or during spring training. I just think the time I got to spring training and started ramping up — because I didn’t pitch in the winter. So I got to spring training and started throwing a lot, and maybe my shoulder was a bit tired."

Diaz acknowledged that he hit "99, 100 [mph]" against Miami on Thursday after he "wasn’t doing that early in the season." That's a positive sign as the 30-37 Mets look to remain in playoff conversations and prevent owner Steve Cohen from signing off on a second-consecutive summer fire sale.

As of Friday morning, the Mets were three games back in the battle for the NL's third wild-card playoff berth.