New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz faced the Los Angeles Dodgers twice this week.
He earned a save on Wednesday, and then a hold on Thursday.
He allowed an earned run on Thursday’s game, but looked downright dominant as a whole nevertheless.
His stuff is as good as it has ever looked.
While facing Dodgers infielder Gavin Lux, Diaz threw the fastest pitch of his career, at 102.8 mph.
It’s amazing how he can throw that hard and keep his walks at bay, but he has this year: in 53.1 frames, he has 101 strikeouts against just 17 bases on balls.
After facing Diaz, Lux provided us with one of the best quotes of the season so far.
“Gavin Lux: ‘It looked like 103,'” he said, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.
Gavin Lux: "It looked like 103." https://t.co/UJ0CYNLrc1
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) September 2, 2022
Lux Couldn’t Touch The Heat
Lux, of course, swung and missed at the pitch, resulting in a strikeout.
It’s yet another high point for Diaz, in a season full of them.
With the Mets, he has enjoyed the highs and suffered the lows, the latter coming in his notorious 2019 season in which he had a 5.59 ERA.
But if you take that campaign away, his stint with the Mets has been a resounding success.
He posted a 1.75 ERA in 2020, and a 3.45 mark in 2021, with 32 saves.
He has 29 saves already this season, so he looks well on his way to topping last year’s output.
Diaz, with his 1.52 ERA this year, has developed into the league’s premier ninth inning weapon.
No pitcher in the league has his kind of strikeout upside from the bullpen, and pitchers with that kind of velocity and his wipeout slider will likely be successful for a long time.
NEXT: The Mets Made A Huge Statement Over The Dodgers
