NEW YORK -- The trumpets sounded just after 4 p.m. Saturday at Citi Field as Edwin Diaz emerged from the bullpen. Fans cheered and danced to the walk-out song popularized during the closer's dominant 2022 season. They cheered again when he was introduced as the New York Mets' pitcher in the ninth inning with a one-run lead over the San Francisco Giants.
Diaz, after a weeklong role demotion, was closing a game again in Queens like old times. But these aren't like old times for Diaz.
His recent disastrous stretch as closer continued Saturday with another blown save, this time on LaMonte Wade's one-out RBI single that ultimately pushed the game to extra innings.