Flushing, NY: Edwin Diaz the 2018 Latino Sports AL Relief Pitcher MVP has been perfect coming out of the bullpen for the New York Mets. Monday night was not perfection for the closer who entered a tie game situation in the ninth inning.
Diaz, who saved 57 games for the Mariners last season, which tied for the second most saves in a single season in MLB history, was perfect in eight save opportunities. The Mets bullpen overall as a unit has not been living up to expectations with the exception of Diaz coming in for the save.
But it was not a save on this night and Diaz got his first loss. Jesse Winker put the Reds ahead with a two-out ninth inning solo home run to right field on the first pitch off Diaz. The Reds went on to a 5-4 win in the first game of three at Citi Field.
Winker hit his 8th home run and leads a Reds team that came into the game with the lowest batting average among teams in the National League.
Jose Iglesias, 2-for-3, opened the scoring off Mets starter Zack Wheeler with an RBI double in the second inning. Raisel Iglesias, no relation to Jose, got his first win with two scoreless innings and striking out four. All three final batters in the Mets ninth went down swinging.
But the attention was about Diaz and his inability to handle a left hand batter where he is almost perfect. This was the second home run he gave up this season after throwing five all last year with Seattle.
“It doesn’t surprise me because I know he was a good hitter,” Diaz said about the home run. “Was trying to execute a pitch and threw it over the plate.”
But that home run ball added to the bullpen woes of the Mets which added to a bad ranking of 28th overall among all teams in MLB.
” We are working hard,” Diaz said. Regarding the highs and lows of this bullpen, he said, “We just have to keep getting better everyday.”
The good thing, Edwin Diaz was optimistic. The first loss and out of the bullpen could be the only one.
“Today I was ready to take this loss because I don’t think I’m gonna have many more this season,” Diaz said.
NOTES: Jose Peraza, 2-for-5, has driven in a run in three of his last four games and hit in six straight against the Mets.
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