Mets' Edwin Diaz shares worrisome admission about meltdown vs. Phillies

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz endured a second worrisome rough outing over the past week when he failed to maintain a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning of what became the Philadelphia Phillies' 7-6 win in Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Sunday. 

Diaz recorded an out in that frame before he walked first baseman Bryce Harper, and the fire-balling right-hander addressed that particular at-bat following the defeat. 

"I think I was a little bit — I went lazy to him instead of attacking him," Diaz said, as shared by Manny Gomez of NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. "You know, I tried to make pitches to see if he can chase and get the out instead of going against him like I always do." 

The strategy didn't work, as Harper watched four straight balls before he strolled to first base. Slugger Nick Castellanos singled to right, and second baseman Bryson Stott then knocked Diaz out of the game with a two-run triple. 

"We were winning by one run and I was trying to not see the ball in the air off him," Diaz said about how he handled Harper. "I was trying to get the next guy out." 

Diaz went through multiple rough patches during the season and, more recently, suffered a meltdown against the Atlanta Braves on Sept. 30 before shortstop Francisco Lindor saved the day with a dramatic ninth-inning two-run home run. As SNY's John Harper pointed out, Diaz threw 105 pitches in three appearances going back to that Atlanta game. 

"Costly sliders have been a recurring theme this season that Diaz seemed to conquer in recent weeks, as he leaned more heavily on his fastball," Harper wrote. "So now you have to wonder if fatigue is part of the equation. ...Pitching coaches will tell you fatigue is often reflected more in a lack of command than velocity." 

For what it's worth, Diaz insisted after Sunday's loss he has "been feeling fine" and "been able to work" amid understandable concerns related to arm fatigue. 

The Mets likely will need Diaz to reclaim his dominant form in order to earn two wins over the Phillies in three games and advance to the NL Championship Series. He'll get needed rest on Monday before the NLDS that is tied at 1-1 resumes at New York's Citi Field on Tuesday afternoon.