The New York Mets announced on Friday that their closer Edwin Diaz underwent a successful surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. Diaz suffered the injury during Puerto Rico’s 5-2 win over the Dominican Republic at the World Baseball Classic.
The Mets didn’t give a timeline for Diaz’s return to action, but the team is reportedly expecting the 28-year-old to miss the entire 2023 MLB season.
Speaking with reporters earlier this week, general manager Billy Eppler said that Diaz’s injury usually requires eight months of recovery.
“There are instances where athletes have come back earlier, more around the six-month mark,” Eppler said. “But those are a little bit more of the exception than the rule.”
After the procedure, Diaz issued a statement on social media thanking the fans for the support and saying that he is “doing well and healing.”
Edwin Diaz was coming off a great campaign in 2022 that saw him finish the season with a 3-1 record. He had 32 saves and 118 strikeouts to go with a 1.31 ERA, earning his second All-Star nod and an All-MLB First Team nod. The Mets later signed him to a five-year, $102 million contract, which is the biggest-ever given to a closer.
With Diaz out for the 2023 campaign, the Mets are expected to pursue an experienced closer on the trade market. They could also opt for an in-house replacement, with David Robertson, Adam Ottavino, and Brooks Raley being the obvious candidates.
