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On Day 6 of our humble, little calendar, we turn our eyes to a moment from the past season which likely spurned many future moments. Today, we celebrate the debut of Edwin Diaz.
The Chart
The Recap
When news first broke that Edwin Diaz, one of the Mariners' few viable starting pitcher prospects, was going to be turned into a reliever people were decidedly not pleased. Ethan covered the change and echoed the dismay of many but, to his credit, also admitted that "there is a very legitimate chance he could be that crazy exciting reliever in the Mariners' bullpen by the end of the summer." Little did anyone expect that this lanky 21-year-old Puerto Rican would end the 2016 season worth 1.9 fWAR and with a 15.33 K/9 in 51.2 innings.
Diaz's debut itself is unsurprising in hindsight, given the consistency with which he attacked each batter he faced this season, and his name only appeared at the end of the recap, tucked next to an asterisk (though it is worth noting that said mention was accompanied by the creative adjective "awesamazcrizazzlefantasticosuperduperpants"- one guess who wrote that recap). We had no clue that on a calm, Monday night against Cleveland, Scott Servais had awoken a sleeping giant.
There are very few debuts I remember in M's history. I remember Yuni's triple, Ackley's single, I was there for Chris Taylor and Brad Miller and Rafael Soriano. Besides probably Ackley, though, I cannot remember a more exciting moment for a prospect's debut. When Edwin Diaz toed the rubber, he did so with fire and flame.
It was ancient magic. It was a young man with hell in his heart and flame in his arm. Edwin Diaz was born in front of us all that night. All we could do was stand in awe and clap.