After the Mets lost their first closer, Edwin Diaz, to injury during the spring, they lost his replacement, David Robertson, to a trade Thursday night.
With Robertson now trying to make the postseason in Miami, manager Buck Showalter said the Mets won’t rush back Diaz, who is rehabbing from the torn right patellar tendon he suffered while celebrating a victory during the World Baseball Classic.
Showalter, when asked if the potential need for a closer late in the season might impact Diaz’s return, said: “It shouldn’t. It won’t. It’s gonna be a medical [decision].’’
Diaz has said he hopes to return this season and Showalter acknowledged “there are some positives to him pitching” this season, but he added, “It won’t be because we need a closer or we’re back in it to get in the playoffs. This is not something you experiment with.”
Showalter added that Diaz is “beating all the benchmarks” in his recovery and didn’t rule out a 2023 return.
“I don’t want to paint anything about Edwin that [a return] is imminent,’’ said Showalter, adding that even getting back on a mound was not in the “near future” for Diaz and the Robertson move “is not gonna change the timeline.”
In the meantime, Showalter said he would not “anoint a closer.” in Robertson’s absence.
Instead, the Mets will use different matchups, as they did Thursday in a win over Washington, when Robertson was on the verge of being shipped to the Marlins. Showalter went to Brooks Raley, who picked up the save with a scoreless ninth inning.
Raley is another reliever who could be traded by the deadline this coming Tuesday, but if he remains with the Mets, he would likely get some opportunities to finish games, as will Adam Ottavino.
To replace Robertson on the roster, the Mets recalled right-hander Reed Garrett from Triple-A Syracuse.
The Mets claimed the 30-year-old Garrett off waivers from Baltimore last month. He has been inconsistent with Syracuse after pitching well with the Orioles’ Triple-A Norfolk affiliate. Garrett made two appearances with Baltimore earlier this year.
They will also likely learn more about young relievers like Grant Hartwig, who could pitch himself into higher-leverage situations.
Francisco Lindor followed up his first multi-hit game in three weeks with back-to-back hitless games as his streaky season at the plate continues.
Lindor said he has been taking extra batting practice on a regular basis in the second half and, while he has hit for good power, the shortstop’s other numbers are down.
Among the reasons the Mets are looking to sell at the deadline is the regression of Carlos Carrasco from last year. The right-hander, who starts Saturday, is coming off consecutive poor outings, having allowed nine earned runs in seven innings over the two outings.
Carrasco’s strikeout rate has plummeted and his walk rate has jumped, which has led to many of his problems. His 5.82 ERA would be the fourth-worst in the majors if he’d thrown enough innings to qualify.