Edwin Diaz’s first four pitches in the ninth were fastballs that missed the strike zone.
But just when it appeared the Mets closer might return to the trouble he found in back-to-back games on the last road trip, Diaz came back and got the final three outs of Wednesday’s 8-3 win over the Red Sox.
And he finished it with three straight fastballs clocked over 100 mph.
on September 4, 2024. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I have it in my back pocket,” Diaz said of the increased velocity on his strikeout of Romy Gonzalez that ended the game — and a seventh straight Mets win.
With the Mets still chasing the Braves for the final NL wild-card spot, they will almost certainly continue to lean heavily on Diaz, who has mostly pitched well since mid-June before blowing back-to-back save opportunities, first in San Diego on August 25 then Arizona three days later.
Since then, Diaz has allowed a baserunner in four innings — the leadoff walk to Triston Casas on Wednesday — and struck out nine batters, including two on Wednesday.
That’s as many strikeouts as Diaz has had in a four-game stretch this season.
His strikeout rate is still nowhere near what it was during his otherworldly 2022 season, but Diaz’s ability to finish hitters is what helps separate him from other closers and what the Mets believe can get them to the postseason.
“I think he’s locked up,” Carlos Mendoza said. “It’s ‘go time’ mentality. He got hurt by a couple of sliders on the road trip and stopped after that on offense.”
He continued that on Wednesday.
“Seeing him hit 101 [mph]he’s aggressive,” Mendoza said. “That’s a good sign.”
One they will need to see more of in the final weeks of the season if they want to make the playoffs.
Diaz expects a lot of work before the end of September.
“It’s really tough,” Diaz said. “We are very close to the playoffs, so every game counts as a closer, so I have to do my job.”