3 possible replacements for Edwin Diaz if he leaves after the 2022 season

NY Mets closer candidate to replace Edwin Diaz: Promote Eric Orze to the big leagues

The Mets may always transition a starter to a relief role at some point and hope he becomes the club’s next closer. Right now, among those already pitching in relief, Eric Orze appears to be the best option from the minor league system.

The 2021 campaign was Orze’s first professional year and he made it all the way from High-A to Triple-A. He was successful each step of the way, actually lowering his ERA with each promotion. His full season numbers included 49.2 innings and 5 saves. The 12.1 strikeouts per nine and 2.5 walks per nine are promising. He can strike out batters well without the bad habit many young pitchers have of getting a little too wild.

Already knocking on the big league door, Orze is a pitcher we have to seriously start paying attention to in regards to having a big role out of the Mets bullpen. The club has a couple of holes they will need to fill after the 2022 season. Even this year, with many guys under contract, we should look at Orze as a potential future addition to the 40-man roster depending upon how well he pitches in Syracuse.

Rookie closers can be risky as can sophomores. Orze may not be the replacement for Diaz. However, down the line, maybe he can begin to earn saves for the Mets on his way to becoming one of the more memorable closers in franchise history. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.