Edwin Diaz did not look like the superstar closer we’ve come to know in the month of May, and his New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza knows why.
Per Mike Puma of the New York Post, Mendoza had this to say to the media about why Diaz may have gotten out of his comfort zone on the mound following the Mets’ 5-3 loss to the Texas Rangers on Wednesday (h/t Grant Young of Fan Nation’s Inside the Mets):
“He went through a lot,” Mendoza said. “You go through a stretch where it wasn’t easy for him. I am pretty sure he was feeling it. At the end of the day, the guy missed a whole year.”
Mets: Edwin Diaz has his swagger back after a down month in May
The Puerto Rican flamethrower blew four saves in May. He saw his ERA balloon up to 8.68 in nine appearances that month. Diaz cited confidence issues as a reason why his stuff wasn’t showing. He also showed a willingness to slide over to the seventh inning role for the betterment of the team, which availed against the San Francisco Giants on May 24.
Things are looking up for Diaz since his return from roughly three weeks in the minors. He has a win and two saves in his last three outings, all coming in the ninth inning. The 30-year-old has allowed two hits in those three innings, but the most important thing is that his play is once again leading to wins for New York.
The Mets will need Diaz’s confidence to help them make a playoff push
Diaz has helped the Mets increase their winning ways to eight of their last nine games. The Mets are now only 1.0 game back from the sixth and final Wild Card spot in the National League. They’ll need Diaz’s confidence to help propel them into playoff contention in the back half of the season.