New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz has chosen not to appeal his 10-game suspension for violating MLB’s foreign substance policy. He began serving his suspension on Tuesday and is set to return to the Mets on July 6 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Diaz did not speak to the media before Tuesday’s game against the New York Yankees but is expected to address the situation on Wednesday.
Manager Carlos Mendoza explained that the decision not to appeal was made to quickly resolve the issue and move forward. The incident leading to Diaz’s suspension occurred during a game against the Chicago Cubs when he was ejected before throwing a pitch due to a sticky and discolored substance found on him by the umpire.
This is not the first time a Mets pitcher has faced suspension for a sticky substance violation, with Max Scherzer and Drew Smith serving suspensions in the past two seasons. While Diaz is sidelined, the Mets will use a mix of pitchers in the closer’s role.
Despite a strong start to the season with five saves and a 2.30 ERA, Diaz has struggled recently, posting a 4.70 ERA with seven saves in 11 opportunities. He had just returned from a shoulder injury before the suspension and expressed disappointment in letting his team down.
“It’s tough because I will let my teammates down for 10 games,” Diaz said. “That sucks, because I’ve been able to come back from the IL, I’ve been good and helped this team to win. Now to be out 10 more games, it sucks.”
The Mets will have to adjust their bullpen strategy during Diaz’s absence and hope for a strong return once he is eligible to play again.