Edwin Diaz’s first four pitches in the ninth were fastballs that missed the strike zone.
But just when it seemed the Mets closer might be reverting back to the trouble he found in back-to-back games on the recent road trip, Diaz came back and got the final three outs of Wednesday’s 8-3 win over the Red Sox.
And he finished it with three straight fastballs that were clocked over 100 mph.
“I have that in my back pocket,’’ Diaz said of the added velocity on his strikeout of Romy Gonzalez that finished the game — and a seventh-straight Mets win.
With the Mets still chasing the Braves for the final NL wild-card spot, they will almost certainly continue to lean heavily on Diaz, who has mostly pitched well since mid-June before blowing back-to-back save opportunities, first in San Diego on Aug. 25 then Arizona three days later.
Since then, Diaz has allowed one baserunner in four innings — the leadoff walk to Triston Casas on Wednesday — and whiffed nine batters, including two more Wednesday.
It’s as many strikeouts as Diaz has had in a four-appearance stretch this season.
His strikeout rate is still not close to what it was during his otherworldly 2022 season, but Diaz’s ability to finish hitters off is what helps set him apart from other closers and what the Mets believe can get them to the postseason.
“I think he’s locked in,’’ Carlos Mendoza said. “It’s ‘go-time’ mentality. He got hurt by a couple sliders on the road trip and after that, stayed on the attack.”
He kept that up Wednesday.
“Watching him hit 101 [mph], he’s aggressive,’’ Mendoza said. “It’s a good sign.”
One they’ll need to see more of in the final weeks of the season if they want to get to the playoffs.
Diaz expects plenty of work before the end of September.
“It’s really tough,’’ Diaz said. “We’re really close to the playoffs, so every game counts as a closer, so I have to do my job.”
