Diaz bros made history with Tuesday saves
One pitches in Queens and the other in the Queen City, but Edwin and Alexis Diaz jointly pulled off a rare baseball feat on Tuesday. The Diaz brothers became the third set of siblings — and the first in nearly 25 years — to record saves on the same day in Major League Baseball. Edwin closed out the first game of a doubleheader split against the Cardinals for the Mets, while Alexis recorded his first big league save for the Reds at Cleveland.
“It was pretty emotional. He came through the minors and made his bigleague debut earlier this season. We are very happy that he got his first save [Tuesday],” Edwin Diaz said before the Mets’ game Wednesday against St.
Louis. “It was special for my family.
“We didn’t know about the other pair of brothers that did it before, we just saw that today. It was really fun, and I’m looking forward to seeing him keep closing there.”
The previous brothers to both record saves on the same day were Todd Worrell (Dodgers) and Tim Worrell (Padres), who accomplished the feat on June 13, 1997. The first brothers to do it were Ravelo Manzanillo (Pirates) and the Mets’ Josias Manzanillo
on June 30, 1994.
The 28-year-old Edwin Diaz is enjoying an excellent season in his third year with the Mets, entering Wednesday with nine saves in 10 opportunities and a 1.69 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 16 innings over 16 relief appearances.
His younger brother Alexis, 25, dealt with some arm injuries while in the minors, but made the Reds’ roster to start the season. The rookie has allowed only one earned run in 17 ¹/3 innings (0.52 ERA) with a 0.92 WHIP in 16 appearances,
“As young kids [in Puerto Rico], we weren’t thinking about playing in the big leagues. Just having fun,” Edwin Diaz said. “Then I was signed a couple of years before him, and then when he signed he had a little bit of trouble with a couple of injuries, but he recovered and started doing good in the minors.
“I told him you have a good chance to be in the big leagues if they give you an opportunity.”