The MLB preseason period saw one of its first notable injuries on Wednesday night, when Mets closer Edwin Diaz had to be helped off the field after apparently hurting his leg while celebrating a win with Team Puerto Rico at the World Baseball Classic.
The severity of the injury was not immediately clear, with further testing scheduled for Thursday, but it didn't look great. The 28-year-old ace stopper, who is coming off a career-best season with the Mets, left the field in a wheelchair.
On social media, the unfortunate situation immediately prompted discussion among journalists and fans about the role of the WBC, and more specifically whether big leaguers should be participating in it.
After all, an injury scenario like Diaz's was unlikely to unfold in the sleepy setting of Cactus League or Grapefruit League action, where teams rarely, if ever, celebrate wins with that type of enthusiasm.
Still, celebration injuries are pretty rare, regardless of the setting, which many defenders of the WBC were quick to point out. If anything, Diaz's misfortune seemed to be a freak incident, they said.
Here's a selection of reactions to the sobering development on Twitter:
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