Mets' Edwin Diaz to return to major-league mound almost one year after injury
Mets closer Edwin Diaz wanted one actual inning — three outs — during his appearance in a minor-league intrasquad scrimmage on Tuesday to better simulate the real thing. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Edwin Diaz will return to a major-league mound next week, days shy of the first anniversary of his major knee injury.
He made that reveal Tuesday after tossing a perfect inning in a minor-league intrasquad scrimmage, another step forward in competition and intensity level as he wraps up the rehabilitation of the torn patellar tendon in his right knee.
“I got one more game in the minor leagues (Friday),” Diaz said. “Then I’m going straight to the big leagues.”
Feeling for weeks that he is ready for the Grapefruit League, Diaz has yielded to the desires of Mets decision-makers, who have stressed caution and patience. For most of spring training, that has meant sticking to live batting practice — facing Mets hitters in a controlled environment with no fielders and no baserunning.
Eventually, he tired of that. He was bored. So he asked for an upgrade and got it Tuesday, when he retired Luke Voit (flyout to center), Rhylan Thomas (groundout to third) and Jett Williams (strikeout swinging) on 14 pitches.
Accompanying him as he warmed up on the practice field: “Narco,” his trumpet-y entrance music, blaring over the loudspeakers.
“That was a surprise for me,” Diaz said, laughing. “I said, these people are crazy. They were playing ‘Narco’ during the national anthem too, so I was laughing on the mound.”
When the anthem started prior to Yankees-Mets in the stadium several hundred feet away, the backfield's song paused.
Diaz looked much like his regular self, throwing his fastball 96-98 mph — a tick up from last week. He was particularly pleased with a slider that induced a swing-and-miss for strike three from Williams, the Mets’ top prospect who is known for great command of the strike zone.
The Mets offered to let him throw a few more pitches, but Diaz declined. He wanted one actual inning — three outs — to better simulate the real thing.
“Today was my first day doing my normal routine, what I do in the season — play catch early, warm up in the bullpen and go straight into the game,” he said. “I told them as soon as I get to the minor-league field, I told them I want to throw my inning. If I throw one inning in nine pitches, I want to be done.”
McBetter
Jeff McNeil is “feeling a lot better” after a recent bout of left biceps soreness, manager Carlos Mendoza said.
He still is limited to defensive work as the Mets wait for the remaining discomfort to dissipate, but they are comfortable enough with his progress that he won’t get an MRI — nor are they concerned about his ability to be ready for the start of the season March 28.
“The downtime the past couple of days helped,” Mendoza said. “We’re going to give it another couple of days before we put him on a hitting progression, but a positive sign from McNeil.”
In the meantime, McNeil will play in a minor-league game — defense only — within the next couple of days, Mendoza added.
Extra bases
Attendance at Clover Park for the Mets’ 5-4 exhibition win over the Yankees: 7,626, the largest in eight years . . . Tylor Megill struck out six (and walked two) across three hitless innings. He’s up to 13 strikeouts and one run allowed in eight innings during camp . . . Joey Wendle (sore right shoulder) is slated to make his Grapefruit debut Thursday . . . Edgardo Alfonzo arrived for his stay as a guest instructor.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
