Edwin Diaz got handed his punishment Monday, leaving the Mets shorthanded potentially for the next 10 games.
A day after he was ejected for violating MLB’s rules on foreign substances, following an examination by the umpires, Diaz was suspended 10 games by Michael Hill, the league’s senior vice president of on field operations.
The Mets closer was ejected before throwing a pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Cubs because of a sticky substance on his right hand.
Diaz said it was a mixture of rosin, sweat and dirt – a combination that he routinely uses.
Diaz can appeal the penalty, but otherwise the suspension will take effect beginning with Tuesday’s game against the Yankees at Citi Field. If Diaz chooses to appeal, any punishment won’t begin until after the process is completed.
The Mets could turn to Reed Garrett to fill Diaz’s closer’s role. Garrett, like many of his Mets teammates, had a rough May.
But with questions just beginning to emerge whether the journeyman reliever was regressing to the mean after a dominant start to the season or just working through a slump, the right-hander has responded positively.
Garrett has pitched to a 2.35 ERA in seven appearances in June following a shaky May in which he had two blown saves and was the losing pitcher in two other games.
Garrett has again been a trusted setup option since Diaz’s return from the injured list on June 13, and finding somebody to pick up the slack in his role may be the bigger challenge than filling the closer’s spot.
Dedniel Nunez, Adam Ottavino, Drew Smith, Jake Diekman, Danny Young and Adrian Houser are the other bullpen components. Nunez has pitched the best from that group, but allowed two earned runs in the seventh inning against the Cubs on Sunday.
Another trusted right-hander, Sean Reid-Foley, was placed on the injured list over the weekend with a right shoulder impingement.
The Mets didn’t have any immediate announcement regarding Starling Marte, who was scheduled to receive an MRI exam on his right knee Monday.
The outfielder left Saturday’s game with discomfort in the knee and didn’t play Sunday. Marte said the knee has been an issue for the last few weeks.
The Mets have been using a combination of D.J. Stewart and Tyrone Taylor in right field the last two games.