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Edwin Díaz wanted this, and so did the New York Mets.

Since injuring his knee in the postgame celebration of Puerto Rico’s victory in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, the New York Mets closer has been pampered, missing an entire season and having to rebuild his skills and stamina.

With the Mets fighting for a playoff spot and the regular season entering its final week, manager Carlos Mendoza brought the 30-year-old right-hander in as an eighth-inning starter against the top players in the Philadelphia Phillies’ batting order on Sunday night. And then he brought in Díaz for the ninth inning.

“We’ve protected him all year and now it’s time for the big guys,” Mendoza said.

Díaz left Trea Turner at third base when Alec Bohm grounded out in the eighth inning and Bryson Stott at third base when Kody Clemens struck out in the ninth inning, securing a 2-1 victory. Díaz’s second career six-out save was his first since August 4, 2022.

“What we’ve seen with him lately is that he’s just 2022,” Mendoza said.

A Mets team that was six games out of a wild card on May 29 moved into the second NL wild card with a tiebreaker win over Arizona after a 22-33 start. The Mets are two games ahead of the Braves heading into a three-game series in Atlanta that begins Tuesday.

“I threw the fastball the way I wanted to. My slider is developing really well,” Díaz said. “At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t playing the way everyone expected me to. Now I’m coming out and finishing games. When they give me the ball, I do my job.”

Díaz, a two-time All-Star, has 20 saves in 26 chances and six in a row since allowing Corbin Carroll’s eighth-inning grand slam in an 8-5 loss at Arizona on Aug. 28. Díaz threw 17 pitches with a save with four outs that capped Saturday’s 6-3 victory and 30 more on Sunday.

“You protect him all year long. You avoid three out of four back-to-backs early on because of situations like that so they’re ready when we need them,” Mendoza said. “He’s coming off a bad injury, missed a whole year, struggled early on, had a rough and tough May, but he’s an elite closer. He’s one of the best in the game.”

Díaz allowed a tying home run to Tampa Bay’s Randy Arozarena on May 5, then blew a two-run lead against Philadelphia on May 13 when Byson Stott hit a home run in the ninth inning and Díaz forced the tying run by hitting Alec Bohm with a pitch. Three days later, Stott hit a tying single against Díaz, and on May 25, Díaz allowed a tying single to San Francisco’s LaMonte Wade Jr.

Díaz was sidelined until June 13 with a right shoulder injury. On July 7, he allowed a two-run single by Pittsburgh’s Nick Gonzales that gave him the lead before he got into his rhythm.

“I’m so, so proud of him because it took a lot of mental strength to do what he did,” said Brandon Nimmo, whose game-winning home run in the sixth inning gave the Mets the lead on Sunday.

Díaz threw a third strike past Kyle Schwarber to start the eighth inning and allowed a lofted single by Trea Turner, who stole second base. He struck out Bryce Harper with a high, inside fastball and after Turner stole third base, he retired Bohm to end a 12-pitch inning.

When Díaz reached the dugout, Mendoza told the pitcher that he was going out again for the ninth inning. Díaz paced the clubhouse, drinking water and trying to keep warm.

He retired Nick Castellanos with a flyout to start the ninth inning and walked Stott, who stole second base. Díaz struck out JT Realmuto with a fastball and two sliders, with Stott stealing third base on the last one. The Mets got lucky when catcher Francisco Alvarez’s throw hit the base and landed near third baseman Mark Vientos instead of bouncing into left field.

After Brandon Marsh got a walk, Mendoza went to the mound, partly to remind Díaz that Marsh was going to steal second, but also to monitor the setting.

“I just wanted to make sure he was OK because I pushed him,” Mendoza said.

Díaz struck out Clemens with a 98.3 mph pitch for his 20th save in 26 chances, screaming and waving his arms, back in his element.

“I have to be ready every single day,” he said.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb