The Boston Red Sox are no longer in pursuit of New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe and Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. The Sox were rumored to be interested in the former Mariner as recently as yesterday, but no longer appear to be in the running.
Dave Dombrowski seems to be looking for multiple, lower-level arms to bolster a struggling pen instead of the big fish, but he would be foolish to do so. Diaz is just that good.
Diaz is in the midst of his fourth year in the league, with this season being by far the worst of his career. Just a year removed from a league-leading 57 saves, Diaz has an anemic 4.95 ERA and just 23 saves for the lowly Mets. However, this isn’t all on him. It starts with the Mets.
The Mets are perhaps the worst-run organization outside of the Miami Marlins in all of baseball, and any player who seems to put on their blue and orange jersey become an instant shell of themselves or get hurt in some bizarre way. Mariano Rivera could join the Mets and turn himself into some sick, twisted version of a pitcher resembling 2007 Red Sox Eric Gagne, and he might injure a clavicle while doing jumping jacks in his home gym to boot. The reverse-Midas touch is real with the Mets; it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that is part of the problem with Diaz.
One of the reasons that makes Diaz so appealing is his contract. Diaz is under control for the next three season after this one and is only making just north 607,000 this year, a tremendously appealing figure to the cash-strapped Sox. Added to the fact that a team would be buying low on a pitcher who had tangible success in the offensive-minded American League, and it is hard to come up with a reason not to like the guy.
Buster Onley weighed in yesterday on the prospects of getting Diaz and there were two minor leaguers, in particular, the Mets seemed to be interested in.
The Sox should love to give up either Delbec or Casas, but Dalbec is definitely preferred. Casas has more potential, and there is a logjam at third base, so Dalbec should be the guy to go. Both of them are top-100 prospects, but Dalbec could have a more immediate impact, and the Sox should try to hold onto Casas.
But Dombrowski refuses to pull the trigger, for some unfathomable reason. This Red Sox team took three of four from New York this weekend and went 5-2 during a week that determined their fate this season. This team proved that it deserves help; Dombrowski needs to go all-in. A cheap, young reliever that is under control for years to come should be at the top of the Red Sox wishlist. Why it isn’t paramount to acquire Diaz continues to mystify.
