Anonymous scout pinpoints 1 glaring issue for Mets' Edwin Diaz

Today at 10:28 AM

This rollercoaster of a season for the New York Mets took another turn last Sunday when they blew multiple leads in a 7-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The loss evened their NL Division Series at one game apiece with three to play. It also unlocked a possibly unnerving scenario for the Mets regarding closer Edwin Diaz.

Diaz allowed three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday for his eighth blown save of the year after he had seven in the regular season. He struck out the first two batters he faced, then a walk, single and triple gave Philadelphia a 5-4 lead after trailing 4-3. That ended his night after recording two outs on 25 pitches.

Diaz admitted after the game that he pitched conservatively to Bryce Harper, who drew the walk in the aforementioned sequence. It only took two well-hit balls after that to give the Phillies the lead.

It’s one thing for the player to admit it, but scouts watching the game noticed something off about Diaz. An anonymous scout offered his opinion on the lack of consistency from the Mets’ closer.

"I just think his confidence comes and goes," the scout said, per Jon Heyman.

Despite saying he didn't attack Harper in fear of allowing a home run, Diaz said he believes in his ability to get the best hitters in the sport out.

"I feel 100 percent confident," Diaz said. "It's part of the game. We were playing a really good team."

No room for error for Diaz, Mets bullpen

The Mets have built a solid bullpen but they don't have obvious arms they can trust in high-leverage situations other than Edwin Diaz. The concern now is what if Diaz has another bad outing in Game 3 and New York loses. Can Carlos Mendoza be confident in putting his closer on the mound in a must-win game?

After missing all of last season following an injury in the World Baseball Classic, it was fair to expect some regression from Diaz’s 1.31 ERA in 2022. Knowing he is capable of putting those numbers up, it’s frustrating to see him struggle as much as he does. It’s usually a full implosion too rather than a blip on the radar.

Diaz allowed seven runs and blew two saves across three games in mid-May. He surrendered four total runs in consecutive outings in August, recording two outs against the six batters he faced. He blew a save against the Braves in game 1 of their doubleheader on the regular season’s final day.

The Mets used Diaz in September more than they ever had since acquiring him in 2019. He appeared in 13 games and tossed 14 innings, his highest marks since June 2018. Take away that blown save in his final regular-season appearance and Diaz posted a 0.72 ERA in 12 1/3 innings in September.

There is reason to be concerned though after he allowed five runs across his last three outings with a pair of blown saves. Edwin Diaz needs to be the guy for the Mets. If he’s not, it’s hard to see them getting past the Phillies, let alone making a pennant run.

The post Anonymous scout pinpoints 1 glaring issue for Mets’ Edwin Diaz appeared first on ClutchPoints.