Expect Edwin Diaz to have a short leash as the New York Mets closer this year, with Seth Lugo waiting in the wings to capitalize on those save chances.
The New York Mets signed four key free agents this offseason, all pitchers. Among them were essential bullpen arms Dellin Betances and Brad Brach. The Mets are targeting a perceived weakness in strengthening their bullpen, though they should go one step further and replace incumbent closer Edwin Diaz with Seth Lugo.
Diaz was dislodged from the closer role late in 2019 and finished the year with putrid numbers. Diaz limped across the finish line with a 2-7 record, 5.59 earned run average, and seven blown saves in thirty-three chances. A far cry from the fifty-seven save, All-Star season, he posted with the Seattle Mariners the previous year.
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The Mets ended the year with a closer-by-committee scenario that saw Diaz, Lugo, and Justin Wilson all notch saves. The old saying is, “if a team has two-closers they have no-closers.” Enter Seth Lugo.
His numbers last year were across the board better than Diaz’s. Better WHIP, better ERA, higher strikeout to walk ratio, and seven less home runs surrendered in twenty-two more innings pitched. Some will argue Diaz’s numbers are inflated as he was pitching in higher-leverage situations.
Lugo pitched last year as the eighth inning, set-up specialist and accumulated twenty-one holds prior to assuming the part time closer role. His innings were high-leverage as well.
New York Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen has stated Diaz will be his man this year in the ninth inning and manager Carlos Beltran expressed the same sentiment before he got the boot. Luis Rojas, the new team lead, says he expects the team to be a contender.
If he actually believes this, he’ll be giving the ball to Seth Lugo to close out games this season.