Edwin Diaz needs knee surgery, expected to miss 2023

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz is expected to miss all of the 2023 season due a tore patellar tendon in his right knee, per reports. Diaz injured himself during an on-field celebration of Puerto Rico’s win against the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic yesterday.

This is a big blow for the Mets, who made re-signing their 28 year old closer a top priority at the end of the year. The Mets locked up Diaz to a 3 year, $64 million deal with player and team options that could keep him in New York through 2028 before free agency officially started this winter.

There have been concerns expressed that this will damage the WBC going forward and discourage teams from allowing players to play in the tournament, which is held every three years. That seems fairly unlikely, however — this was a freak injury suffered outside of the game even going on, and players get hurt in winter ball and in spring training as well.