Edwin Diaz of the New York Mets. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images)
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen has spent at a historic rate this offseason to give his team the best chance to win a World Series. Could a poor season from these three players derail those plans?
Sure, Cohen’s spending has made plenty of news this offseason and turned plenty of heads. However, entering the season with the league’s highest payroll doesn’t guarantee success. Players still have to perform … and the Mets still have to figure out a way to knock the Atlanta Braves off the top of the National League East.
So which players are pivotal to New York’s success this season? Let’s take a look at three in the spotlight.
Mets make-or-break player for 2023: Edwin Díaz
Cue the trumpets and get ready for another season of the best closer entrance in all of baseball. And this season, Díaz will be entering games knowing he inked a three-year, $64 million deal to lock down wins, just as he did last year when he earned 32 saves and posted a 1.31 ERA/0.90 FIP/0.839 WHIP.
Last season, Díaz was as much of a sure thing as you can have in a closer (including 118 strikeouts in 62.0 innings pitched), and the same will be expected of him this season. However, most projections expect the numbers to rise slightly for Diaz in 2023. Still, if Díaz can even live up to those numbers, New York fans should be able to breathe somewhat easy when they hear the trumpets sound in a tight contest.