Injured Mets closer Edwin Diaz stays optimistic, hasn't ruled out pitching in 2023
NEW YORK — When he's on the mound in the ninth inning, Edwin Diaz is usually outwardly fiery as he's mowing through opponents with his triple-digit fastball and wipe-away slider.
Away from the field, Diaz is constantly smilling.
That hasn't changed about a month since the Mets' closer suffered the biggest setback in his professional career when he suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee while celebrating Puerto Rico's victory over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic on March 15.
With his 2023 season hanging in the balance – the recovery for a similar injuries is about eight months − Diaz, who is walking with assistance of crutches less than one month after the injury, met with the media for the first time on Wednesday and said he is feeling great as he continues to rehab his injured knee.
"We are working hard to see if we can come back as soon as possible," Diaz said. "Everything is going in the right direction right now with the knee. The doctors say I’m doing great, so I'm really happy."
Keeping an eye on a return
Diaz needs to walk before he can throw.
While that will be a long process, the Mets closer and his doctors have been encouraged by his early rehab work.
"We are working my leg, my other leg, my arm. Everything," Diaz said. "We are trying to get stronger. You know it's time to get all of my body stronger. I'm doing really good. I don't work just my (surgically-repaired knee), I'm working all of my body and we're doing really good.
Diaz said if the knee keeps responding to the work, he believes he "can be back sooner than eight months." Until then, he is doing what he can to keep his arm and body in shape.
"As of right now, we're doing a lot of arm exercises," Diaz said. "All those things, testing, like putting pressure on my arm. I feel really good. I feel more stronger, so as of right now I feel pretty good about my arm."
Getting over the initial disappointment
When Diaz crumbled to the turf during Puerto Rico's celebration for advancing to the knockout stage of the WBC, he initially thought he had dislocated his knee.
But when he tried to get up, he knew immediately it was something worse. For the first time in his career, Diaz would be headed to the injured list.
"I’ve been healthy all my career and when I saw that happen, I saw my teammates there with me, I was really sad," Diaz said. "But then I realized how I was going through a process, so I'm positive. I'm trying to do my best thing and we are doing good right now."
He tried to remain upbeat, but his brother, Alexis, could not hold back his emotion in Puerto Rico's clubhouse.
"He came, he was crying," Diaz said. "I started crying too with him because he said, ‘That’s my fault. That’s my fault,’ but when I saw the video, no one hit me, nothing, so I told him be calm. I will be good."
Returning home
The trumpets were blasting through the speakers once again during the team's home opener on April 6.
Diaz hobbled to the top of the dugout stairs as the final Mets' introduction, receiving the loudest ovation of the day.
"I didn't know I was coming until the day before, and I was really happy to come and show the fans I’m doing good," Diaz said. "I wanted to see them, so they treat me really good and I'm really happy for that."It was a well-deserved reception after the right-hander evolved into the most dominant closer in the game last season, striking out 118 of the 235 batters he faced and racking up 32 saves in 2022.
Diaz's injury, along with that of the Astros' Jose Altuve, brought additional skepticism to the timing of the WBC, but the Mets closer would not have done it any differently.
"I think people can get hurt in their home and any place, so it happened to be in the WBC and that's part of the game," Diaz said. "I wasn't pitching, I was celebrating with my teammates. If I had the chance to play again for my country, yeah I would do it."