Edwin Diaz feels ‘great’ after passing latest Mets test
PORT ST. LUCIE — As the national anthem was performed on the main field at Clover Park before the Mets and Yankees faced off in a Grapefruit League game, “Narco” blared on a back field.
It sounded like a classic Edwin Diaz appearance, and soon it looked like one, too.
Diaz threw in his first intrasquad game Tuesday afternoon, needing 14 pitches to sit down Luke Voit, Rhylan Thomas and Jett Williams in order in an outing after which he said he felt “great.”
For the first time since tearing his patellar tendon, Diaz warmed up to the song that so often has turned Citi Field into a dance party.
“That was a surprise for me,” Diaz said of the music choice. “I said these people are crazy.”
Previously, Diaz had thrown five live batting-practice sessions but had not been green-lit for a scrimmage, the Mets wanting to see him field his position first.
Diaz recently cleared the fielding hurdle and is able to sprint over to first base, so an intrasquad game was the next step.
The closer said his fastball sat at 96-98 mph, a tick up from his previous sessions.
His fastball induced a flyout from Voit, and his slider led to a couple ugly swings from Thomas, who eventually grounded out to third.
Williams, the organization’s top prospect, fouled off a few pitches as he stayed alive in the at-bat.
Diaz unleashed a particularly biting slider that Williams swung through.
Diaz said he will throw in another back-field game Friday before making his Grapefruit League debut next week.
“I’m throwing my pitches the way I want to,” Díaz said. “I feel 100 percent ready.”
After a camp scare, Jeff McNeil is doing “a lot better,” manager Carlos Mendoza said before the Mets beat the Yankees 5-4.
McNeil, who has been shut down from hitting for a few days because of a biceps issue, has not been sent for an MRI because the Mets are encouraged the issue is resolving.
McNeil still will not hit for “another couple of days,” Mendoza said, and may play a few innings in the field in a minor league game Wednesday.
“The downtime the past couple of days helped,” Mendoza said of McNeil, who is expected to receive enough at-bats to be ready for Opening Day.
Harrison Bader made his Grapefruit League debut and played four innings in center field.
The former Yankee underwent surgery in September on a torn abductor muscle that had been bothering him since early August and is happy with how he has bounced back.
“I felt really good,” Bader said after going 0-for-1 with a hit-by-pitch. “I haven’t felt that good in a long time.”
Backup infielder Joey Wendle, who has yet to play in a game this spring because of shoulder soreness, is expected to make his Grapefruit League debut Thursday.
“He’s doing well,” Mendoza said of Wendle, who has built up and is throwing from across the diamond