3 most impressive Edwin Diaz statistics this season

Let me paint the picture for you. It’s Game 7 of the World Series. Your favorite team is about to head into the top of the 9th with a one run lead. If given the chance to choose any closer in the league, who would you send out to the mound? Very few people would choose someone other than New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz. A 1.30 ERA in 48 appearances would be a big reason why, but there are a couple other mind blowing statistics that make Diaz stand out…

1) Mets closer Edwin Diaz has surrendered an incredibly low opponents batting average

Baseball is certainly considered a game of failure from the hitters’ perspective. Even the best struggle to hit above .350 in a season. With that being said, anyone that hits under .250 is considered below average. Hitters when facing Edwin Diaz in 2022 are hitting a combined .161. That’s better than any starting pitcher in the league and both Josh Hader and Kenley Jansen, two of the game’s best closers. The Mets reliever only throws two pitches (4-seam fastball and slider) but since finding his command and executing each pitch to perfection, he has kept hitters guessing all season long. 

2) Mets closer Edwin Diaz has been limiting opposing hitters from using the long ball

The game of baseball has evolved over the 150 years of its existence. With analytics taking over the sport, many hitters have turned to things like launch angle and exit velocity to improve their game. The goal is to hit a home run. It’s a goal that very few have accomplished against Edwin Diaz this season. A guy that gave up 15 home runs in 58 innings during his first season with the Mets in 2019, has allowed just three this season. That’s right…just three. You would think that a pitcher who throws as hard as Diaz does would allow hitters to send the ball over the wall when they make contact. The only problem with that: hitters have failed to even get wood on the ball.

3) Mets closer Edwin Diaz has struck out more than half the batters he has faced

Even during the years when he was struggling, Edwin Diaz always had elite level stuff. Being able to throw a 100 mph fastball to go along with a wicked slider creates the potential to be so dominant and it took Diaz a couple of years in New York to figure things out. Not only has he figured out how to get the job done, he has been doing it in style. Of the 183 batters he has faced this season, the Mets’ closer has struck out 93 of them, giving him a 52.5% rate. It is truly unbelievable to think that more often than not, a hitter that comes to the plate will go down on strikes.

Seeing Edwin Diaz become one of the best closers in the league this season is nothing short of remarkable for those who remember how disappointing he was just three short years ago.

Oh and by the way, he also has the most electric entrance in all of baseball.