Diaz has a 12.00 ERA in six appearances.
“It was tough,” Reds manager Terry Francona said after the game of Diaz’s performance. “You’d like to keep it at 1-0 and give yourself a chance. Make them use their closer. He got the two outs, and then it was slider, fastball, fastball that got hit pretty hard. He just didn’t locate them very well.”
Asked whether Diaz was struggling with his mechanics or his mindset or approach, Francona said, ““I don’t know. How do you know? I haven’t even talked to him about his mindset. He said he loves to pitch. He hit a guy to start it, and then he left some pitches over the plate.”
Diaz, 28, made his big-league debut for the Reds in 2022, posting a 7-3 record, 1.84 ERA, and 10 saves in 59 games. In 2023, he earned All-Star honors with a 9-6 record, 3.07 ERA, and 37 saves in 71 games. In 2024, he recorded a 3-5 record, 3.99 ERA, and 28 saves in 60 games.
Right-handed reliever Luis Mey, 23, took Diaz’s spot on the roster. Mey was 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA in 10 games with Louisville. MLB.com ranks Mey as the Reds’ 20th-best prospect.
After being swept in a doubleheader by the Cardinals on Wednesday, the Reds (16-15) are two games back of the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central Division. The teams conclude the four-game series at 12:40 p.m. Thursday. The Reds start a three-game series at home against the Washington Nationals on Friday.
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