New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Mets have concern over star closer Edwin Diaz's usage in WBC

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 3/2/23

The New York Mets are concerned over how star closer Edwin Diaz will be used in the World Baseball Classic when he competes for Puerto Rico, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

There is concern within the Mets’ organization that Edwin Diaz will be asked to pitch on back-to-back days in the WBC — something the Mets do not want, as they ramp up for the 2023 season.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 2, 2023

Diaz not only helped spur one of the biggest summer music hits of 2022 by using "Narco," by Blasterjaxx and Timmy Trumpet as his entrance song last year, but he also helped lead the Mets to a 101-win regular season and playoff berth. Diaz had perhaps the best season of his career and was arguably the most dominant closer in all of baseball, earning his second All-Star honor (first since 2018) and being named the Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year.

The flamethrowing righty had a truly dominant stretch over the summer, being named the NL Reliver of the Month in June, July and August and finished inside the top-10 in the NL Cy Young voting (ninth), a rarity for relief pitchers. Diaz finished the year 3-1 with 32 saves and a career-best 1.31 ERA, as well as a 0.83 WHIP and stunning 118 to 18 strikeout to walk ratio across 61 games covering 62 innings pitched.

Diaz was rewarded with a new, record-setting five-year, $102 million contract over the offseason.

Per Baseball Reference, there were only 12 occasions all of last season where the 28-year-old as used on back-to-back days.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic begins on Wednesday.

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