You’re kidding, right?
How on earth is Alexis Diaz not ranked among the top ten MLB relievers? It appears that baseball fans and MLB Network’s The Shredder both agree with that sentiment.Fans can vote for the Top 10 Players Right Now on MLB Network prior to the start of each Major League Baseball season. The fan vote is then replaced on the broadcast with a computational analysis known as The Shredder, which considers a variety of metrics and data before rating the top 10 players at each position.
The Shredder has had positive experiences with two Cincinnati Reds players thus far. Out of all centerfielders, Matt McLain is thought to be the sixth best second baseman in baseball, and TJ Friedl came in ninth. However, neither The Shredder nor the fans rank Diaz as a Top 10 reliever. It is unquestionably incorrect!
Reds’ Alexis Diaz completely snubbed from MLB Network reliever rankings
The Shredder and baseball fans alike agree that Devin Williams is the game’s top reliever. It’s hard to dispute that truth. Williams’ “Air Bender” has been witnessed by Reds supporters numerous times over his career, and the right-hander is unquestionably one of the top relief pitchers in the game.
But it would be completely stupid to leave out Alexis Diaz. Yes, his conventional metrics were not as good as those of some of the top players in the league. In 2023, Diaz recorded a 3.07 ERA and 3.52 FIP. However, Diaz’s 1.7 fWAR was higher than that of Ryan Helsley, Pete Fairbanks, and Evan Phillips, who were all ranked in The Shredder’s Top 10 relievers in the game. Diaz’s fWAR also placed him ninth out of all qualified relievers.
Edwin, the older brother of Alexis, who did not even pitch in the previous season, was voted the second-best reliever in baseball by the fans. That is obviously absurd because everyone is aware of how unpredictable a reliever’s function may be. When you consider that Diaz allowed less hits than Jhoan Duran, had a lower ERA than Emmanuel Clase, and had more strikeouts than Josh Hader, you can see why this ranking is absurd.
In addition to working in the back of a patchwork bullpen that was taxed in the second half of the 2023 season, Diaz recorded the fourth-most saves in the league last season with 37. During the previous season, Diaz made 71 appearances with the Cincinnati Reds bullpen. Of the Reds relief corps, Ian Gibaut was the only one with more.
Reds supporters are aware that Alexis Diaz ranks among Major League Baseball’s Top 10 relievers, but he will need to win over the doubters in 2024. It is hoped that Diaz will be better rested during the second half of the season and contribute to regular game closing in 2024 with the extra depth brought forth by this winter’s free agency signings.