NY Mets: 1 part of the team worth being most thankful for this year

Trumpets. You can’t hear them anymore without thinking of the closer for the New York Mets, Edwin Diaz.

The once disappointing closer has become a fan favorite this season for more than his play on the field. He’s fun. He’s a little bit dangerous. He’s our guy who gets the job done.

The relationship between Mets fans and Edwin Diaz has taken a turn for the best in 2021

You only have one chance to make a first impression. Diaz’s first with the Mets back in 2019 was like a horrific job interview.

He showed up late, his fly was unzipped, and when he met the owner of the company he realized it was the same man he cut off an hour earlier and gave the finger to.

Diaz still got hired and has kept his closer job. For the second straight year, he has looked like one of the best at recording the final three outs of a game.

Diaz has yet to single-handedly justify the trade that first brought him to New York. That’ll be tough with Robinson Cano paired up in the deal. The deal can end up as a lost move and the Mets can still come away feeling like winners. All it takes is continued success from Diaz whenever he steps on the mound.

Far from perfect, Diaz is slowly inching closer to his numbers from 2018 with the Seattle Mariners and what he did last year in the abbreviated 2020 season. Far from perfect last year mainly because of some high walk numbers, he did still finish with a 1.75 ERA. I’m not so sure he’ll throw enough scoreless innings this year to catch up, but does that really matter? He’s already well on his way to passing the 26 saves he had in 2019 for the Mets—a season in which he had to share ninth-inning duties down the stretch when the team was at its hottest.

Mets fans saw firsthand how difficult it is to win games without a closer when Diaz was struggling in mid-2019. With the Mets earning victories late in games recently against some divisional opponents, I was reminded of how vital this sometimes overlooked—until you need it—role can be.

Want your voice heard? Join the Rising Apple team!

Write for us!

Some may not fully trust Diaz just yet and I understand. He’s not having an all-time great year by any stretch. But for the final three outs, he’s worth trusting.