The New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz will not appear for the team this season.
The 29-year-old suffered a torn patellar tendon on his right knee while celebrating his Puerto Rico team's 5-2 victory over the Dominican Republic in the 2023 World Baseball Classic to send them to the tournament's quarterfinals.
The two-time MLB All-Star underwent surgery on March 16 to repair his right patellar tendon, and he was forecasted to have six to eight months of rehabilitation. Diaz just passed the six-month mark of his recovery process last Saturday.
Ultimately, Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hedner deemed a potential return for Diaz "too risky."
"I'm not as concerned about the pitching. It's more about fielding and a ball getting hit back at him and he has to get out of the way, and really it's about covering first base and covering a bunt," Hefner said.
The Mets hoped that Diaz would return at some point this season. But since the team is out of the playoff hunt, getting Diaz back would not be worth it, risking a reaggravation of the knee injury.
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Minor league return was an option
Team officials considered letting Diaz play during a minor league game in the past, but they ultimately decided against it.
Instead, the Mets will let the 2022 All-MLB First Team member continue throwing bullpen sessions, aiming to be 100 percent healthy for 2024 spring training.
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