Just about everything has gone right for the New York Mets amid a historically hot start to the 2025 season. One of the only things that hasn’t is the play of star closer Edwin Diaz, who entered Wednesday afternoon’s walk-off win over the Philadelphia Phillies with an ugly 5.59 ERA through his first 10 appearances.

That poor start may have gotten much worse on Wednesday, as Diaz was forced to abruptly exit a tie game in the top of the 10th inning with an apparent hip injury.

With one out and JT Realmuto at the plate, Diaz stepped onto and then off the rubber three different times, clearly uncomfortable with something. He was initially called for a balk, but umpires reversed that ruling when it was clear that Diaz was injured. The righty then called for the Mets training staff, and was soon pulled from the game.

Mets closer Edwin Diaz leaves game vs. Phillies due to injury

The righty appeared to point toward his left hip while talking to trainers, and sure enough, manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed as much after the game. It sounds like the Mets may have dodged a bullet, though: Mendoza said that Diaz was suffering from a left hip cramp, and the team is hopeful that he avoided any structural damage.

Of course, it would hardly be the first time that Diaz has dealt with a health issue over the course of his career. In March of 2023, he tore his patellar tendon while celebrating after the final out of Puerto Rico’s win over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, an injury that caused him to miss more than a year of action. He also missed two weeks last season due to a right shoulder impingement.

While Diaz hasn’t looked like his vintage self so far this season, the Mets can scarcely afford to lose him for an extended period of time. He possesses the kind of explosive stuff that New York doesn’t have a ton of in the back end of its makeshift bullpen, although Huascar Brazoban, Ryne Stanek and Max Kranick have all been excellent so far this season.