The Los Angeles Dodgers made a splash earlier this month when they signed former New York Mets All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to a three-year, $69 million contract.
Díaz is coming off a season that saw him collect 28 saves to go along with a 1.63 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. He had the second-lowest ERA among relievers with at least 50 innings, trailing only Aroldis Chapman’s 1.17 mark.
Díaz has pitched to a 2.82 ERA with 253 saves in parts of nine big league seasons. He has been one of baseball’s best closers for quite some time now, and explained what makes him so effective in the ninth inning.
“Pitching in the ninth is a big responsibility because the ball is in your hand for the last three outs of the game,” Díaz said during his introductory press conference with the Dodgers.
“I think they are the toughest three outs of a game. Personally, I take it nice and easy. As the last guy, I always go batter-by-batter, pitch-by-pitch. I don’t think much about completing the inning, because a lot of things can happen in one inning.
“So personally, I like to take it easy and make pitches. At the end of the day, if I get my job done, the team will be in a good position. If I don’t get my job done, we are in trouble. So every time I have the chance to pitch, I always think I will win. That’s how I take it.
“If I don’t have a good result that night, I flush it right away and the next day I come ready to go again. That’s how I think I’ve been able to perform. Whatever happens on the mound that day, even if it’s good, or if it’s bad, I just flush it right away and come the next day ready to go again.”
Díaz is set to become the Dodgers’ first dedicated closer since Kenley Jansen in 2021. L.A. envisioned Tanner Scott filling that role this year, but he pitched through several health issues and blew an MLB-worst 10 saves.
Edwin Díaz: Signing with Dodgers ‘really easy’ decision
Although Díaz enjoyed his time with the Mets, he decided to join the Dodgers due to their recent history of winning.
“It wasn’t easy,” Díaz said of leaving the Mets. “I spent seven years in New York and they treated me really good. They treated me great. “I chose the Dodgers because they are a winning organization. I’m looking to win, and I think they have everything to win. So picking the Dodgers was really easy.”
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