RADIO
Edwin Diaz 2020 Outlook: Risky Arm Offers RP1 Upside
5 years agoMets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz is seeking out better luck in 2020, but one has to examine 2019’s “luck” under a different light. The bar has to be moved, expectations reset, because hitters’ approaches differed and the ball was altered. After posting an elite 1.96 ERA/0.79 WHIP with an absurd 1.49 SIERA, reasonable .281 BABIP, and solid 0.61 HR/9 in 2018, Diaz cratered in ‘19. The 2.63 SIERA would have you think, “it can’t be that bad,” but it was. The 5.59 ERA/1.38 WHIP rose with a ballooned .377 BABIP and 2.33 HR/9. A high BABIP won’t necessarily come back down just like that. Still, we would be happy to get Diaz near the 11th or 12th round of 12-team drafts as a discount RP1 to lead the bullpen. That said, the recent Dellin Betances signing does put some heat on him to perform early. His polarizing arm may mean you have to jump a bit higher than his early NFBC ADP of 137 to snag him as a target, but those who believe in Diaz shouldn’t have to pay up for last season’s top closer.
