Edwin Diaz spoke with reporters on Wednesday for the first time since tearing the patellar tendon in his knee at the World Baseball Classic, and despite the normal recovery timeline making it a long shot to pitch this season, the Mets closer says there's no reason it can't happen.
"I'm feeling great, working hard to see if I can come back as soon as possible," Diaz said. "Everything is going in the right direction. The doctors say I'm doing great, so I'm really happy. They want me to get my knee better first and see how I respond to the things I need to do once I start throwing. If the tests come back good, I might throw this year.
"As of right now, the knee is doing great. They're really happy…if everything goes well, I think I can be back sooner than eight months."
Diaz signed a record-breaking five-year deal in the offseason after putting together one of the most dominant seasons in recent memory by a closer, earning him the National League Reliever of the Year. But he hurt his knee celebrating on the field after closing out a victory for Puerto Rico in the WBC, sparking a heavy debate about MLB players participating in the event. But Diaz says he has no regrets, and like many other players, cherished his opportunity to represent his country on a global stage.
"People can get hurt in their home, any place," Diaz said. "It happened to be in the WBC. That's part of the game. I wasn't pitching, I was celebrating with my teammates. If I had the chance to play again, I would do it."
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