Mets Should Strip Diaz of Closer Role Immediately

In baseball, the last pitcher to take the mound for a team is fittingly called “the closer.” Send him out with a slim lead. Have them him three quick outs. One. Two. Three. Put it in the books.

For the Mets, that’s exactly what they did on Saturday, September 14th against the National League’s best club – the Dodgers. Seth Lugo struck out the side in the eighth and earned his sixth win of the season (too bad Jacob deGrom got zilch for his seven scoreless innings … again), setting up Justin Wilson to slam the door in the ninth.

Many Mets fans shook their heads in disbelief when they surrendered seven runs in the bottom of the ninth against the Nationals two weeks ago, capped off by closer Edwin Diaz giving up a three-run homer.

Watching that landslide of a collapse, well, it wasn’t too surprising … because Diaz had already done it five times this season. And ⁠— what a shock ⁠— he did it again two games later against the Phillies. At least that time, Pete Alonso bailed him out with a keen eye by drawing a game-winning walk.

Wilson ⁠— who, like Diaz, is a Mets newcomer — spent a decent amount of the season on the injured list. But, he’s 3-for-4 in save opportunities this year. But, unlike Diaz, his ERA is low, just 2.45.

If the Mets make the playoffs (and that’s one big “if”), they’ll need to beat the Dodgers to make the World Series. New York went 2-5 against L.A. during the regular season, and they won’t repeat those slim victories by sending out Diaz to face Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger or Corey Seager, who have hit .287 with 29 home runs on average between the three of them.

The Mets have a couple closer options. Ideally, they could put Wilson there, but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to use Lugo, who has a 2.82 era and has proven to be a good setup man. The Mets have used Diaz just once since he blew the save against Philly, and it wasn’t even to do what they brought him here to do — save the game. 

Since Diaz’s last meltdown on the mound, New York has used Wilson and Lugo for three combined save attempts, all of which were successful. The Mets’ Saturday-night performance is one that they need to beat 100-win ball clubs, and it won’t work with Diaz’s implosive 5.83 ERA.

The Mets are doing their team, their organization and their fans a disservice by keeping him on their roster. They should admit they made a bad deal in bringing him to New York, and they should answer what their fans have been praying all season ⁠— get rid of Diaz while they still have the slightest chance.