Edwin Diaz’s brother Alex Diaz picks up his first big league save for the Reds

There haven’t been many save opportunities for the 2022 Cincinnati Reds. It’s not because they’re beating their opponent into a pulp. They’re 10-26. However, a new closer is emerging in their bullpen. The brother of New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz picked up his first save of his career on Tuesday.

Alex Diaz is his name and it was a three-strikeout, two-walk performance against the Cleveland Guardians that earned him the save in the tenth inning. Cincinnati has yet to name the 25-year-old their official closer. They kind of don’t have one as Diaz is now tied with three others with a single save on the year.

Considering the bloodline the younger Diaz follows, it would make sense for the Reds to see what he can do. Edwin’s brother is now 1-0 with a 0.52 ERA in 17.1 innings of work. He has a rate of 10.9 strikeouts per nine in those 16 appearances and could actually turn into one of the few bright spots for a ball club doing very little.

Mets closer Edwin Diaz isn’t the only one with saves in the family

The Diaz brothers have a good chance to become the league’s greatest pair of related closers. Using an educated guess, there probably aren’t too many other brothers with a significant amount of saves. Edwin already has 182 of them. So unless Mariano Rivera had a brother with even just one save, it’s a safe bet to assume these two could take over as the best pair of related closers in the game’s history—especially with the save statistic being relatively new.

The first save Edwin got was on August 2, 2016, against the Boston Red Sox. Like his younger brother Alex, it included striking out the side. Edwin only walked one batter in this appearance.

Thereafter, the future Mets closer would pile up saves regularly. His days in New York haven’t been quite as glamorous as the three years in Seattle. Fortunately, this year looks to be one of his most promising. The Diaz the Mets are throwing out there for saves is 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in 16 appearances. He has 8 more saves than his brother with 9 of them for the Amazins.

Coincidentally enough, the two brothers have something else in common. Combined, they have allowed 4 earned runs. Each has come on a solo home run. Are we sure they’re only brothers and not the same person?