Relief pitchers are slowly but surely getting more love from the baseball establishment. One of the premier players in the history of the position, former closer Billy Wagner, was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame this summer. And beginning next season, the Baseball Writers Association of America will add National Relief Pitcher of the Year Awards for each league to the slate of honors it votes on each year.
That doesn't mean that relief pitchers haven't gone unrecognized in recent seasons. Major League Baseball established the Mariano Rivera Award (for the American League) and the Trevor Hoffman Award (for the National League), both of which are voted on by a panel of former relievers, in 2014 to reward non-starting pitchers for their on-field efforts.
Former general manager and The Athletic contributor Jim Bowden revealed on Sept. 17 who he believes will be the recipient of this year's Trevor Hoffman Award. In the case of New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz, it could mean being placed in elite company.
Diaz predicted to win Trevor Hoffman Award, make history in the process
Bowden tabbed Díaz as his winner of the Trevor Hoffman Award, just ahead of the San Diego Padres' Robert Suarez and the Milwaukee Brewers' Trevor Megill.
"Díaz made his third All-Star team this year and he’s converted 26 saves for the Mets with a 1.88 ERA. He’s allowed just 5.65 hits per nine innings while striking out more than four batters for every walk he’s issued," Bowden wrote. "He’s in the 99th percentile in both K% and xBA and in the 96th percentile in fastball velocity, according to Statcast. After missing all of the 2023 season with a ruptured patella tendon, Díaz has now posted back-to-back seasons with more than 50 appearances."
Díaz previously won the Trevor Hoffman Award in 2022 with the Mets, but he also earned the Mariano Rivera Award in 2017 while playing for the Seattle Mariners. Being a three-time "reliever of the year" and earning such an honor at least once in both leagues would put him in exclusive clubs containing only one other player.
Josh Hader — who won the Trevor Hoffman Award in 2018, 2019 and 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers — is the only winner of three combined awards, regardless of league. Meanwhile, Craig Kimbrel — who won the Trevor Hoffman Award in 2014 with the Atlanta Braves and the Mariano Rivera Award in 2017 with the Boston Red Sox — is the only winner of both awards.
In addition to recording a low ERA and converting 89.7% of his save opportunities (29 total attempts), Díaz has pitched to a 6-3 record and 0.99 WHIP, in addition to accumulating 85 strikeouts and limiting opposing hitters to a .182 batting average, across 57.1 innings pitched in 55 appearances this season.