PORT ST. LUCIE – The Mets will be compensated for Edwin Díaz’s salary while their star closer is on the injured list after suffering a torn patellar tendon in the World Baseball Classic, league sources confirmed. The Athletic.
The Mets end up not paying Díaz because the injury occurred while he was participating in the WBC. Major League Baseball has insurance to protect the team in these types of circumstances. As the New York Post first reported Thursday night, if the right-hander does not return this season, MLB’s insurance would cover Díaz’s 2023 salary of $18.64 million. However, it is unclear whether his salary will still count towards the luxury tax.
The general timeline for recovery from surgery is usually about eight months, Mets general manager Billy Eppler said, ruling Díaz out for the 2023 season. After undergoing surgery Thursday, Diaz is expected to begin an official rehab program in about a week.
Díaz was celebrating with his Puerto Rico teammates after a 5-2 win over the Dominican Republic when he was injured in a collision during the celebration, a person briefed on the matter said. The Athletic.
Under Steve Cohen’s ownership, the Mets have shown a willingness to pay a high price for the cost of winning. The Mets’ total financial expenditure in 2023, i.e. the players’ salary and the luxury tax they pay, is $445 million. In this context, it’s hard to say how much saving Díaz’s wage costs matter; it’s not as if the number has prevented Cohen from spending money in the future. Last month, he said: “When I do something, I don’t do something halfway. When I’m involved, I’m full. I don’t accept mediocrity very well. And that’s why I have high expectations. If that’s what it takes for me to invest in this club, I’m going to do it.”
Still, the forests could use the compensated salary. As a team with expectations to compete for the World Series, New York may have an even better chance of taking more money at the trade deadline. Apparently, the Mets would rather have Díaz, the best closer in the game, healthy and thriving.
(Top photo by Edwin Díaz: Brad Penner/USA Today)