Mets closer Edwin Diaz helped off field after suffering knee injury celebrating World Baseball Classic win
Mets closer Edwin Diaz suffered a right knee injury on the field immediately after Team Puerto Rico upset the Dominican Republic, 5-2, in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday night. Diaz, who struck out the side to help his team advance to the quarterfinals, was swarmed by teammates ready to celebrate the upset victory over a loaded Dominican Republic squad.
This could be a nightmare for the Mets.
Mets closer Edwin Diaz suffered a right knee injury on the field immediately after Team Puerto Rico upset the Dominican Republic, 5-2, in the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday night. Diaz will undergo imaging on Thursday, the Mets announced.
Diaz, who struck out the side to help his team advance to the quarterfinals, was swarmed by teammates ready to celebrate the upset victory over a loaded Dominican Republic squad.
The celebration quickly ended as the Puerto Rican team frantically waved for assistance, with Diaz sitting on the field with his right leg extended.
Puerto Rico manager and Cardinals legend Yadier Molina said the closer underwent testing at the stadium in Miami.
“I was hugging our coaches in the dugout. Then when we looked up, Edwin was on the ground,” Molina said. “I didn’t know. I didn’t know how to act, I didn’t know how to — what to say. I mean, I didn’t know. It got me for a surprise.
“Like I said in the dugout, it sucks, sorry, but when you see a guy that works so hard like Edwin, I mean when you see him on the ground like that, I mean it just is sad.”
Players on both teams looked on as the closer shed tears and waited for assistance. Mets and Puerto Rico shortstop Francisco Lindor stood nearby with his hands on his head.
Alexis Diaz, Edwin’s brother and teammate, was seen crying as the closer was taken off the field in a wheelchair.
Red Sox and Puerto Rico outfielder Kike Hernandez said postgame the injury is a “big blow in more ways than one” and Diaz, who his teammates call Sugar, is a “special human being.”
“Sugar is one of the glue guys in that clubhouse,” Hernandez said postgame. “…He has a really big bank account but his heart is way bigger than his bank account. He’s one of the really special human beings we’ve got in that clubhouse.”
The outfielder described the Puerto Rico clubhouse as “quiet” following the injury.
The 28-year-old All-Star signed a five-year, $102 million contract with the Mets in November, making him the richest reliever in baseball history.
Puerto Rico will likely continue competing in the World Baseball Classic without the the best closer in baseball. Diaz proved that after recording 32 saves with a 1.31 ERA, 0.839 WHIP, 17.1 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.90 FIP in 61 innings of work with the Mets last season. Batters hit a paltry .160 against Diaz and he struck out 50.2 of the batters he faced.
Diaz finished ninth in the Cy Young Award voting and 16th in the MVP race last season.
“As excited as we were about the game and all that, that’s one of our brothers,” Hernandez added.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.
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