Mets closer Edwin Diaz makes excuses for lack of command after latest blown save

For a rare time this season, the trumpets blasted and the light show commenced for an Edwin Diaz save opportunity on Monday. It was just his seventh save opportunity of the season and his third at Citi Field.

The New York Mets were trying to defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in the opener of a brief two-game series at Citi Field to get back to .500 on the season. They had a 4-2 lead heading to the ninth inning, but the usually dominant Diaz was anything but in this game.

Diaz wound up blowing the save in the top of the ninth inning, allowing the Phillies to tie the game. Philadelphia wound up scoring one run in the tenth and winning the game 5-4. It was just the latest heartbreaking loss for this Mets team that has suffered many in the early parts of this season, and was another sign that Diaz is just not himself quite yet.

The right-hander spoke after the game and took some responsibility but also made excuses.

Edwin Diaz makes excuses for lack of command after latest rough outing

Through his first 16 appearances of this season, Diaz has a 3.24 ERA in 16.2 innings of work. He has struck out 37.3% of the batters he has faced, showing that his stuff is still elite, but he hasn't been close to as dominant as he was in 2022. He's already walked six batters after issuing just 18 free passes in 2022, and has allowed four home runs after allowing three all year in 2022. His command inside and outside of the strike zone has lacked compared to what Mets fans are used to, and that showed itself on Monday.

Diaz allowed a home run to lead off the inning to Bryson Stott to cut the lead to one. It was the third home run he had allowed in his last six appearances. Things only unraveled from there.

He'd allow a single and walk after giving up the home run but then got Kyle Schwarber and Garrett Stubbs out to put the Mets one out shy from victory. With the light-hitting Whit Merrifield due up, Diaz could see light at the end of the tunnel.

Unfortunately, Diaz lost control of the plate and walked Merrifield. Yes, the Phillies got a ton of help from first base umpire Ryan Additon who ruled that Merrifield held up his swing when he clearly did not, but let's not act as if it's a given that Diaz gets through that inning anyway. In fact, the next batter, Alec Bohm, was hit by an 0-2 pitch to force in the tying run. A home run, a well-struck single, two walks, and a hit-by-pitch all in this one outing. Diaz wasn't locating inside or outside of the zone.

“That changed the game,” Díaz said. “If they called me those two pitches, that was game over.”

Diaz is referring to the check swing missed call, and a pitch that appeared to be a strike that was called a ball. While true, Diaz also got the benefit of a strike call that was off the plate the pitch before one of the pitches he was complaining about.

Diaz did acknowledge that his command has been an issue, saying “I think I've been missing my location a little this year.” Still, focusing on missed calls when for the most part he had no command of his pitches is not great.

The Mets star closer is almost certainly going to turn things around. His velocity has been ticking up of late, and he continues to adjust back to pitching. It's awfully tough to miss an entire season and then pick up right where you left off.

“There’s no more excuses,” Díaz said. “I feel really good. I feel healthy. I feel 100 percent ready. I just have to find the form to perform every day the way I want to.”

This is what Mets fans want to hear. They're an entirely different team when the ninth inning is taken care of. Hopefully Diaz can kick things into gear sooner than later.