3 worst years by NY Mets closers who were usually much better

The closing role is one of the most high-pressure roles in baseball. A good closer can sometimes make or break a team. The New York Mets have had their fair share of all-time great closers pass through the organization, including Billy Wagner, John Franco, and Francisco Rodriguez, all three of which rank in the top ten in all-time saves. However, closers are also one of the most volatile positions in terms of year-to-year performance. These three typically elite late-inning arms from Mets’ history showed that with some pretty poor seasons.

1) Edwin Diaz

Edwin Diaz has been one of the best closing pitchers of the 2020s. Since the turn of the decade, Diaz has a 2.60 ERA, 2.11 FIP, and 1.01 WHIP. He has a 41.7% K%, which leads all relievers with at least 100 IP in the decade while having an above-average 0.66 HR/9. Diaz also leads all relievers in FIP, xFIP (2.35) and ranks second in the league in SIERA (2.09).

However, Diaz did not get off to a strong start with the Mets in 2019. At the time, Diaz was coming off a 2018 season in which he had a 208 ERA+, was an all-star, and received both down-ballot Cy Young and MVP votes. The Mets traded five players to get Diaz alongside Robinson Cano that off-season. Two of those players were then top prospects Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn.

In 2019, Diaz pitched 58 innings and saved 26 games, but also had a 5.59 ERA/74 ERA+, a 4.51 FIP, and 1.38 WHIP. While Diaz still had an outstanding 39% strikeout rate, along with a playable 8.7% walk rate, he was knocked around the yard for a 2.33 HR/9. He had a career-worst 90.1 MPH exit velocity and 10.1% barrel percentage. Diaz has never once had an exit velo reach 88 MPH, nor a barrel percentage hit 7% in any other season.

Diaz had the worst ERA by a closer and the worst HR/9 in 2019 (min. 50 IP). It is also the first time a Mets’ reliever threw at least 50 innings out of the bullpen and had an HR/9 rate of at least 2.00. It still remains the third worst season over the last decade in terms of HR/9 rate.