Mets All-Star closer Diaz likely out all of '23 with knee injury
New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz has a torn patellar tendon and is expected to miss the entire season after hurting his right knee while celebrating a victory in the World Baseball Classic.
The Mets announced Thursday night that Díaz had surgery earlier in the day. Without going into specifics, general manager Billy Eppler said that a general timeline for recovery from this type of injury is about eight months.
“There are instances where athletes have come back earlier, more around the six-month mark,” Eppler told reporters. “But those are a little bit more of the exception than the rule.”
The Mets said Díaz is expected to begin a formal rehab program in about a week.
“To all my beloved fans, especially the Mets fans, I want to let you know that I am doing well and healing,” Díaz tweeted Thursday night. “I feel blessed and grateful for your support with messages and prayers, thank you very much! I can't wait to see you guys in NY again.”
Díaz, who turns 29 next week, retired the side in order in the ninth inning of a 5-2 victory over the Dominican Republic on Wednesday night that sent Puerto Rico to the WBC quarterfinals. As Díaz and his teammates jumped together in the infield, the righthander collapsed and reached for his right leg. He was taken off the field in a wheelchair.
“Edwin Díaz is a great human being and a fierce competitor,” Mets owner Steve Cohen tweeted. “All of us at the Mets are shaken but determined to sustain our quest for a great season. We wish Edwin a speedy recovery.”
Eppler said he spoke to Díaz several times and noted the righthander was in “great spirits.”
“He's a resilient human being,” Eppler said. “That's why he the closer he is. The dude doesn't get rattled.”
The Mets signed Díaz to a fiveyear, $102 million contract — the largest ever for a closer — after he produced a spectacular 2022 season. Díaz went 3-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 32 saves in 35 opportunities while striking out 118 batters in 62 innings. He made his second AllStar appearance and finished ninth in the Cy Young Award voting.
The Mets do have some relievers on their roster with closer experience as they attempt to replace Díaz.
David Robertson has 157 career saves, including 20 last season when he pitched for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies. Adam Ottavino has 33 career saves. Brooks Raley had six saves for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2022.
• Washington Nationals pitching prospect Cade Cavalli needs Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery and will miss the 2023 season.
The team released a statement from general manager Mike saying that an MRI exam showed that Cavalli sprained his ulnar collateral ligament.
The right-hander exited a spring training start against the Mets after 2 2/3 innings on Tuesday.
Cavalli, 24, was the No. 22 overall pick in the 2020 amateur draft after playing collegiately at Oklahoma. He made his major league debut last August against the Cincinnati Reds, then felt something in his shoulder while playing catch the next day and was shut down for the rest of the season.
He had been expected to be part of Washington's starting rotation this season as the club continues to try to rebuild.
Adderley retiring after four years with Chargers
Nasir Adderley, a safety who played with the Chargers for the past four seasons, announced his retirement from the NFL on social media. Adderley, 25, became a free agent Wednesday, but he decided to walk away from football, citing the fact that “my health is above anything.”
“My purpose involves spending more time with my loved ones, business ownership and chasing my passion of true liberation,” Adderley wrote on Instagram. “With that being said, it has been a dream come true to play in the NFL and have the opportunity to play for the Chargers' organization.”
The Chargers drafted Adderley in the second round in 2019, after he had a standout career at the University of Delaware. He started 44 of 50 games in which he was healthy for the Chargers, including 15 of 16 this past season. He had 62 tackles and two interceptions in the 2022 season.
•Four-time Pro Bowl tackle Orlando Brown Jr. is leaving the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs for a $64.09 million, fouryear deal with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Brown, a third-round pick by Baltimore in 2018, spent three seasons with the Ravens and the last two with the Chiefs.
He goes from protecting NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes to blocking for Joe Burrow.
Brown began his career at right tackle and shifted to the left side in 2020. He'll protect Burrow's blindside in Cincinnati.
The Bengals lost to the Chiefs in the AFC title game in January.
• The Minnesota Vikings have agreed to terms on a new contract with running back Alexander Mattison, who has served as a reliable backup to Dalvin Cook over the last four seasons.
The Vikings finalized the deal a day after Mattison became an unrestricted free agent. The thirdround 2019 draft pick out of Boise State has rushed for 1,670 yards and 11 touchdowns in his career, with an average of 4.1 yards per attempt. He also has 70 receptions for 526 yards and three scores.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett has agreed to terms with the Washington Commanders on a one-year contract worth $10 million with $8 million guaranteed.
Brissett, 30, becomes the experienced veteran the team wanted to bring in to push and compete with projected starter Sam Howell. Brissett threw for 2,608 yards, 12 touchdowns and six interceptions last season with the Cleveland Browns, starting 11 games for them while Deshaun Watson served his suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
Howell, a 2022 fifth-round pick, goes into spring workouts as the team's No. 1 quarterback after winning his NFL debut in Washington's season finale.
Brehm's ace helps give him share of Valspar lead
Ryan Brehm turned a good round into a memorable one, making a hole-in-one on the par-3 17th hole at Innisbrook for a 5-under 66 that led to a three-way share of the lead at the Valspar Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla.
Stephan Jaeger also had a 66, while Adam Schenk joined them with the low score in the afternoon on the Copperhead course.
Jordan Spieth, back at Innisbrook for the first time in five years, had a bogey-free round and was particularly sharp with the putter, making birdie putts of 60 feet and 30 feet on his way to a 67. Also at 67 were former U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover and Maverick McNealy.
This is the first lead for Brehm since he won the Puerto Rico Open last year in his final start to try to keep a PGA Tour card. It hasn't been the smoothest road since then. He has made only three cuts this season and is coming off an 80 in the second round at The Players Championship.
His ace came with a 6-iron from 196 yards, and he closed with a par. It was his 11th time in the 60s in 43 rounds on the PGA Tour this season.
No. 1 Swiatek cruises into semifinals at Indian Wells
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek breezed past Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-3 to reach the BNP Paribas Open semifinals at Indian Wells.
Swiatek, the defending champion, took a 4-0 lead in the second set and converted her second match point to close it out.
Next up for Swiatek is No. 10 seed Elena Rybakina, who outlasted Karolina Muchova 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-4. It will be a rematch from the Australian Open in January, when Rybakina won 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.
Jannik Sinner beat defending champion Taylor Fritz 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to become the first Italian man to reach the semifinals of the 47-year-old tournament.
Sinner, the 11th seed, advanced to the semis at a Masters 1000 for the second time. He will meet topseeded Carlos Alcaraz, who beat No. 8 Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4, 6-4. Alcaraz needs to win the title to reclaim the world's No. 1 ranking.
Sinner had 32 winners to 25 for Fritz; both had 17 unforced errors.
Sinner connected on 80% of his first serves and won 15 of 18 points at the net.