Mets' Edwin Diaz offers update on if he could pitch in 2023

New York Mets All-Star closer Edwin Diaz remains hopeful he'll pitch in a meaningful game later this year. 

"If everything keeps going how it’s going, we’ve got a chance to pitch," Diaz told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic for a piece published Thursday. "The trainers and doctors will decide, but I feel great. Let’s see what’s coming for us." 

Diaz suffered a torn patellar tendon in his right knee as he celebrated helping Puerto Rico earn a win over the Dominican Republic during the World Baseball Classic in March. It was believed at the time Diaz wouldn't return to the bump for the Mets before 2024, but a person close to the 29-year-old told Will Sammon of The Athletic that same month there was "some optimism" about the fire-balling right-hander's availability for late in the season. 

Diaz said in April he felt confident he could return to action ahead of schedule from an injury that typically requires eight months of recovery. 

"They want me to get better first and then they’ll see how I’m responding and my strength and all these things that I have to do, and then start throwing," Diaz explained at that time, per Danny Abriano of SNY. "I’m feeling great. We are working hard to see if I can come back as soon as possible, but everything is going in the right direction right now with the team, and the doctors say I’m doing great, so I’m really happy." 

Rosenthal noted that Diaz "attempted to accelerate his healing through 25 sessions in a glass-enclosed hyperbaric chamber" across the first six weeks of his recovery from surgery he underwent on March 16. Without the 2022 Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award winner in their bullpen, the Mets sat at 30-27 on the season following a midweek three-game sweep of the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies.

The Amazins ended Thursday's victory over Philadelphia trailing the first-place Atlanta Braves by three-and-a-half games in the NL East standings. As Ryan Chichester of Audacy mentioned, fill-in closer David Robertson leads the Mets with 10 saves and has thus far prevented the club from missing Diaz too much this spring.