Boomer and Gio were on cloud nine celebrating the Mets’ clinching victory over the Phillies on Thursday morning, but if there was one area of critique, it was with the closer.
Edwin Diaz came on in the ninth with a 4-1 lead, and promptly walked the first two batters to bring the tying run to the plate. He settled down and sealed one of the biggest wins the Mets have had in nearly a decade, but it was enough for Boomer and Gio to worry about how he will handle close games as the stakes get even higher.
“It’s Carlos Mendoza’s one flaw. If he has one flaw, it’s that he looks at Edwin Diaz the wrong way,” Gio said. “He has too much faith in him.
“He is so emotionally volatile. He wears it on his face. He walks those two guys, you could see the lack of confidence…you could see it on his face…the second he strikes out Clemens, you could see it, like the confidence came down from the sky and went back into him.”
Boomer expressed his distrust in Diaz earlier in the series, and nothing he saw from game four made him change his mind. But he can only hope that the bounceback after the two walks will get Diaz back on track, just in time for the Mets to finish their run to a World Series.
“It’s when he’s walking guys and putting guys on base,” Boomer said. “I’m glad he came through…he needed that for his confidence.
“But it’s amazing watching those first nine or 10 pitches.”