New York Mets closest Edwin Díaz suffered a right knee injury during Puerto Rico’s post-victory celebration at the World Baseball Classic. The injury came after their victory against the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, which secured their place in the quarter-finals.
Injury details and updates
During the celebration, Díaz had to be helped off the pitch, unable to put much weight on his right leg. The Mets announced that Díaz suffered a right knee injury and will undergo further imaging on Thursday, with an update to follow.
The exact cause of Díaz’s injury remains unclear, but footage of the incident shows when it happened. His brother, Alexis Díaz, another Reds pitcher and Puerto Rico teammate, was visibly emotional following the injury.
Recent performance by Edwin Díaz
Díaz, who turns 29 on March 22, signed a five-year, $102 million contract with the Mets last offseason. He’s coming off an impressive season, with a 1.31 ERA (297 ERA+), 6.56 strikeout ratio in 62 innings and 32 saves in 61 appearances.
Insurance and previous injuries in the WBC
Major League Baseball players participating in the World Baseball Classic must have insurance. In some cases, the inability to obtain insurance led to players withdrawing from the tournament. For example, Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly withdrew earlier this spring due to the issue.
Díaz’s injury is not the first to occur during the WBC. Drew Smyly, for example, missed the entire 2017 season and most of 2018 after suffering an injury while playing for Team USA. However, participation in the WBC has not been proven to increase players’ risk of injury.
Potential impact on the Mets
If Díaz’s injury forces him to miss the start of the season, the Mets may have to adopt a committee approach for the ninth inning, with a rotating group of pitchers. The team retained Adam Ottavino and added David Robertson in the offseason, and also acquired Brooks Raley, although he is currently dealing with his own injury issues.
