


PORT ST. LUCIE — As the national anthem was performed on the main field at Clover Park before the Mets played the Yankees in a Grapefruit League game, “Narco” blared on a backfield.
It sounded like a classic Edwin Díaz appearance, and soon it looked like one, too.
Díaz threw in his first intrasquad game Tuesday afternoon, needing 14 pitches to sit down Luke Voit, Rhylan Thomas and Jett Williams in order in an outing after which he said he felt “great.”
For the first time since tearing his patellar tendon, Díaz warmed up to the song that so often has turned Citi Field into a dance party.
“That was a surprise for me,” Díaz said of the music choice. “I said these people are crazy.”
Previously, Díaz had thrown five live batting practices but had not been cleared for a scrimmage, the Mets wanting to see him field his position first.
Díaz recently cleared the fielding hurdle and is able to sprint over to first base, so an intrasquad game was the next step.
The Mets closer said his fastball sat at 96-98 mph, a tick up from his previous sessions.

His fastball induced a flyout from Voit, and his slider led to a couple ugly swings from Thomas, who eventually grounded out to third. Williams, the organization’s top prospect, fouled off a few pitches as he stayed alive in the at-bat. Díaz then unleashed a particularly biting slider that Williams swung through.
Díaz said he will throw in another backfield game Friday before making his Grapefruit League debut next week.
“I’m throwing my pitches the way I want to,” Díaz said. “I feel 100 percent ready.”