Port St. Lucy was a scout who noticed some of the same “floating” sliders that Edwin Diaz hurt him a year ago, and after Edwin Diaz gave up a pair of hits and the first Grapefruitrigue outing to run, even Diaz admitted he was incorrect.
Three days after that first outing, Diaz issued a five-pitch walk in a row to the first two batters facing Washington on Sunday, delaying CJ Abrams 3-0.
However, Diaz recovered Abrams to Whiff and hit the last two hitters he faced, James Wood and Nathaniel Lowe.
He was sure he would be in a good place with just over two weeks left before opening day.
Diaz said he made an appearance at Clover Park on Monday. He said there was inconsistent last season.
“My mechanic was much better [Sunday] More than the first game,” Diaz said. “I was more directed towards the home plate than the left and right.”
Diaz is in a turbulent season, during which he missed time with a right shoulder collision, temporarily excluded from his closer role.
It follows the 2023 season, right-handed people were sidelined by patellar tendons torn during the world baseball classics.
Some scouts want to see Diaz consistently deliveries before he says he's coming back, but the 30-year-old believes he adjusted a year ago and was able to establish it midway through his outings on Sunday – giving him the faith that he's back.
“When I struggled, it was when I went aside, and that was a lot of stuff happened last year after [because of the knee injury]Diaz said. “I spoke [pitching coach Jeremy] I checked the video with Hefner.
The problem with Diaz is that when his mechanics slide, his pitch does too.
As he stated, his fastball and slider both become “flat.”
On Sunday he said, “There were lots of carry on the fastball and my sliders were really deep. For now, I'm happy. I'm not worried about anything. I've settled down, I made a pitch, I did a strikeout. Everything is going in the right direction.”
