Mets closer Edwin Diaz caught going personal best 102.6 mph
Edwin Diaz #39 of the New York Mets celebrates after striking out the side in the ninth inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on June 25, 2022 in Miami, Florida. Credit: Getty Images/Eric Espada
MIAMI — Edwin Diaz put a new level of fast in fastball Saturday night.
In finishing off the Mets’ 5-3 win over the Marlins, Diaz threw the fastest pitch of his life: a 102.6-mph four-seam fastball to Jesus Sanchez, his final batter, who fouled it off for strike two.
Diaz also hit 102.2 mph, the second-fastest pitch of his career, moments later.
Sanchez took that one for a ball.
“He’s so much more of a pitcher than I thought originally when I watched him from afar,” manager Buck Showalter said.
“I know a lot of people think he just goes out there and sees how hard he can throw, but it’s not the case. He pitches. And when you combine that with good stuff, you got a chance to do what he’s doing.”
Diaz’s previous personal best was exactly 102, against the Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim last June.
Less important than velocity, of course, is the actual and immense success Diaz has enjoyed this year.
He carved up the meat of the Miami lineup — getting Jorge Soler, Jesus Aguilar and Sanchez to strike out swinging — on the way to picking up his 16th save in 19 chances this year.
His ERA is 2.12, his WHIP 1.15.
And he has struck out an absurd 48.3% of his batters this season, nearly one of every two guys to step to the plate against him.
“I just don’t take for granted what he’s doing,” Showalter said. “He’s doing something that’s very hard at a very high efficiency.”
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
