PORT ST. LUCIE — Edwin Diaz came into camp with more muscle and more confidence than ever. The 2024 season challenged the Mets closer in ways he didn’t expect, but Diaz is always optimistic, especially when it comes to baseball.
“I have to continue to keep grinding,” Diaz told the Daily News on Tuesday at Clover Park. “I know they will give me the ball. Even if I’m having a bad week or bad two weeks, I’ve got to keep going and compete. That’s something I learned.”
Diaz didn’t realize that returning after missing an entire season would be so difficult. His body wasn’t recovering the way it had in 2022 when he was the best closer in baseball. After recording the first four saves of the season, Diaz started to struggle, and the struggles soon gave way to an implosion. He blew four saves in May, including two in a row. He gave up four earned runs in only 1/3 of an inning to the lowly Marlins in Miami, which upped his ERA to 5.50.
Diaz was honest about losing his confidence during that stretch. Never before had he felt as though he couldn’t get high-leverage outs.
“I knew what kind of pitcher I was, and I know I can dominate, always,” Diaz said. “But that moment, I was throwing everything and I was getting hit, so I knew I was doing something wrong.”
The Mets used Diaz in some low-leverage innings to try to rebuild his confidence. A shoulder impingement landed him on the injured list and Diaz used it as a chance to get a mental refresh. When he returned in June, he pitched like his old self. But then came the game at Wrigley Field when he was ejected for sticky stuff and suspended for 10 games.
Diaz pitched more effectively in the second half, posting a 3.00 ERA with 10 saves in 27 innings. He found his rhythm, which was helpful, but when the Mets put him back in the closer role, it made all the difference. They trusted him, which helped him trust himself and trust his stuff.
Diaz put on about 10 pounds of muscle over the winter, which he thinks will help him recover more effectively between outings and help him get up and down if the Mets need him to. He threw a bullpen earlier in the week with the goal of throwing 20 pitches, but threw 27 with ease.
Wednesday, he’ll throw live batting practice for the first time this spring. His pitch count is built up and he feels good about his command.
Come game time, he’ll be ready to let it fly.
“My goal is to throw at least 25 each of my live BPs,” he said. “Then, when I start pitching in [Grapefruit League] games, I want to just out and compete. I don’t want to go in working on something, I just want to go out and compete because I do have a lot of work before going into the games, so when I get into games, we’ll treat those games like it’s the early season.”
QUICK HITTERS
– Right-hander Griffin Canning threw live batting practice getting up and down twice, while right-hander Paul Blackburn had one up. The two depth starters are the likely candidates for the fifth and sixth rotation spots, but they both need to come through spring training healthy and effective.
With Canning, the Mets want to see him change his pitch usage and possibly add another one. His four-seam fastball rates poorly, but the Mets see potential with his breaking pitches and like that he throws a lot of strikes.
“We feel like we can help him with pitch usage,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Maybe add a pitch or not use a pitch much. Those are some of the things that we’re discussing and presenting to him. Maybe some seam orientation there with the way he’s gripping the ball and things like that.”
– Health is key for Blackburn, who had surgery to repair a cerebrospinal fluid leak in his back in October. While the Mets are being cautious, Blackburn expects to be built up by Opening Day, and by facing hitters this early, he appears to be on track to meet that goal. The bearded righty is working on his sinker with the hopes of using it more often this season.
– Right-hander Sean Reid-Foley nearly drilled Francisco Lindor in the ribs with a high fastball that got away from him during live BP on Tuesday. Lindor got out of the way in time while Reid-Foley apologized profusely to the shortstop.
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