New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz will miss the entire 2023 season due to a tron patellar tendon he suffered while celebrating a Puerto Rico victory in the World Baseball Classic.

New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz tore the patellar tendon in his right knee during the celebration after Puerto Rico’s WBC victory against the Dominican Republic. He will need surgery and is expected to miss the season.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 16, 2023

This is a major loss for the Mets as Diaz was simply dominant last season. He had a career low 0.90 ERA. In 62 innings pitched, Diaz struck out 118 batters and only walked 18. Diaz is mostly known for being apart of the Robinson Cano trade in 2018.

The Mets will likely turn to a combination of relievers to fill the void left by Diaz’s absence. Adam Ottovino and David Robertson are expected to see increased roles in the bullpen. The team may also look to add another reliever via trade or free agency. Both relievers have closing experience, so the Mets will most likely have the closer position as a platoon.

Despite the setback, the Mets remain in the hunt for a playoff spot in a tightly contested NL East division. They will look to regroup and continue their push towards the postseason without one of their key contributors in Edwin Diaz. They still have a really good team that will most likely make the playoffs. The Mets are -500 to make the playoffs according to New York sportsbooks.

New York has one of the better pitching rotations in the MLB with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer leading the charge. Losing one of the best closers in the MLB will hurt their chances at maybe a possible World Series championship, but it won’t hurt them that much for their playoff chances.