The New York Mets are getting their closer back as Edwin Diaz will be activated off the injured list on Thursday. Which version they will get of the fireballing right-hander remains to be seen, though.
Diaz was placed on the IL on May 29 with a right-shoulder impingement, which shelved him during a miserable start to the 2024 season.
After recovering from a torn patellar tendon in his knee that forced him to miss the entire 2023 season, the 30-year-old went from the game’s most dominant closer to a liability. In 20 appearances this season, he had a 5.40 ERA, allowing 12 earned runs in 20 innings of work. During his award-winning 2022 campaign, he allowed just nine earned runs in 62 innings.
His struggles forced manager Carlos Mendoza to approach the closer role by committee before the injury, but there has been little relief for the Mets’ late-game woes.
New York’s relievers have a 3.78 ERA this season, which ranks 17th in Major League Baseball. Meanwhile, they have already lost six games when leading after eight innings since May 1.
The Mets are hoping that a healthy Diaz can get back on track and provide some stability to the bullpen. He put together a pair of scoreless rehab outings with Single-A Brooklyn over the last week.
