Alexis Díaz

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Alexis Omar Díaz

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Biographical Information[edit]

Pitcher Alexis Díaz is the younger brother of Edwin Díaz. Alexis made his major league debut at the start of the 2022 season with the Cincinnati Reds. In the season's early going, he was probably the best player on a wretched team that started the year 4-23. On May 17th, he recorded his first career save in a 5-4 win over the Cleveland Indians when he pitched the bottom of the 10th without allowing a run after the Reds had been able to cash in their designated runner in the top of the inning. What made this remarkable was that on that same day, his brother Edwin also picked up a save in a win by the New York Mets over the St. Louis Cardinals in the first game of a doubleheader. They were only the third set of brothers to pick up a save on the same day, following Josias Manzanillo and Ravelo Manzanillo in 1994, and Tim Worrell and Todd Worrell in 1997. Alexis went on to have an excellent rookie season, being named to the 2022 Topps All-Star Rookie Team as a reliever and finishing the year at 7-3, 1.84 in 59 games, with 10 saves, and 83 strikeouts in 63 2/3 innings. While he couldn't match his older brother, who won the Trevor Hoffman Award as the best relief pitcher in the National League, these numbers were nothing to be ashamed of, quite the opposite.

Alexis joined his brother on the Puerto Rican national team for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Unfortunately, the event resulted in Edwin suffering a freakish injury, tearing a tendon in his knee in celebrating one of his country's wins, ending his season before it had even begun. Undaunted, Alexis decided to take on the family mantle of best closer in baseball. He was absolutely lights out for the Reds in the first two and a half months of 2023 as they came out of nowhere to claim first place in the NL Central, thanks in part to an 11-game winning streak in mid-June. On June 20th, he collected his league-leading 20th save, giving him save in six straight appearances corresponding with the winning streak. All of his numbers were impressive, with a record of 2-1 in 32 games, an ERA of 1.89, and 15 hits allowed against 55 strikeouts in 31 innings.

While Alexis and his brother Edwin have both been major leaguers since 2022 and have played together for Puerto Rico, they had never appeared in the same major league game until September 6, 2024. This was a function of Edwin missing the entire 2023 season with an injury, and also of both being used as closers, as it is relatively rare for both teams to use their closer in the same game; the game in question betwen the Reds and Mets went into extra innings, with both teams calling on their best relievers in order to secure the win.

Notable Achievements[edit]

Further Reading[edit]

  • Nick Aguilera: "Díaz brothers part of history with saves on same day", mlb.com, May 18, 2022. [1]
  • Jason Catania: "The unhittable closer anchoring MLB's hottest team: While Edwin Díaz is sidelined, younger brother Alexis is making name for himself with Reds", mlb.com, June 22, 2023. [2]
  • Mark Sheldon: "Will Díaz go from rookie sensation to Reds star?", mlb.com, February 15, 2023. [3]

Related Sites[edit]

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