Edwin Díaz
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New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz is hoping to learn a great deal from the team’s newly-hired manager Carlos Beltrán.

Of the numerous disappointments for the New York Mets last season, the bullpen loomed large. And there was no bigger disappointment in the pen than Edwin Díaz. The closer, who the Mets acquired in a trade from the Seattle Mariners prior to the 2019 season, struggled mightily all year long.

Díaz finished the campaign with a record of 2-7, an ERA of 5.59, and a WHIP of 1.379 through 66 appearances (58.0 innings pitched). He’s someone who’ll need to improve if the Mets want to reach the next level and play postseason baseball. In 2020, he’ll have a new manager in Carlos Beltrán and is hoping the new head of the coaching staff will assist in his development.

“I want to have that conversation, to ask him how he handled New York in the time he was there [as a player] and now as a manager,” Díaz said in a phone interview with Nathalie Alonso of MLB.com. “He can give me some advice on how to handle the city better.”

The Mets hired Beltrán last week after parting ways with Mickey Callaway in early October. The move comes with some questions, mainly Beltrán’s lack of managerial experience. However, Díaz isn’t concerned about this at all.

“I think he’s going to be a tremendous manager because he speaks both languages and everyone respects him,” Díaz said.

New York’s bullpen finished 25th in the major leagues this past season with a combined 4.95 ERA. A resurgence from their closer next year will definitely contribute to the decreasing of that overall number.

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Ryan Honey is a staff writer and host of the Wide Right Podcast.