CINCINNATI — Enough was enough. The time for a tough talk with Alexis Diaz finally came to pass Wednesday.
Terry Francona is certainly not afraid to have them. Witness his candid talk with Noelvi Marte in the middle of spring training before his demotion to minor league camp and his start to the season at Triple-A Louisville. Then there was the talk with Jeimer Candelario when the team returned from Colorado on Monday.
He had to lay out the facts with the veteran infielder because Marte, who earned a stay in Cincinnati after a second promotion in April, had passed him on the depth chart. Within 12 hours, Candelario was on the 10-day injured list with a lumbar spine strain.
Now comes Diaz. He was brutally bad Wednesday. Worse, he acted dejected and defeated on the mound after the three-run homer to Victor Scott II that made it 4-0. He then gave up absolute lasers to Lars Nootbaar and Masyn Winn and it was 6-0. He had his hat half-tilted off his head and wondered around on the mound. He declined to speak postgame.
After the game, the Reds made the decision to option the 28-year-old right-hander to Triple-A Louisville and bring up right-hander Luis Mey.
It’s totally understandable to be frustrated. It’s not OK to look defeated and apathetic. That’s all subjective, of course. But it’s obvious to anyone watching. If Noelvi Marte can handle a demotion and get better from it, then Diaz can and needs to show the same.
What’s not subjective are the horrific numbers in six appearances. Six appearances, eight hits, eight runs (all earned), four home runs, four hit batters, five walks and three strikeouts. That’s a 12.00 ERA and .308 opponents batting average and a 2.17 WHIP.
Diaz had 37 saves in 40 chances in 2023 and 28 in 32 chances last season. He appeared in 59 games in 2022 when he made his debut, he threw in 71 games in 2023 and in 60 last season. He was signed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal to avoid arbitration this season. He’s under team control through 2027. He has contractual value to the Reds but if he can’t produce, that value is worthless.
Wednesday’s first game was 1-0 Cardinals heading into the ninth. Then Diaz was called upon by Francona to show that he could hold the game right where it was to give the Reds one more chance. A save situation it was not but it was certainly a high-leverage spot where the Reds manager gave the 2023 All-Star a chance to prove he could count on him.
Victor Scott II belted an 87 mph slider to the seats in right-center for a three-run homer. Lars Nootbaar belted another slider and Winn crushed a 93 mph fastball to left in the five-run ninth, as the Cardinals won for just the third time in 15 road games. Three homers in three at-bats.
“It was tough,” Francona said. “You’d like to keep it 1-0 and give yourself a chance to make them use their closer.”
In six appearances, Diaz has allowed eight hits, eight runs on four home runs, four hit batters, five walks and three strikeouts. The reliever has a 12.00 ERA and opponents are batting .308 against him.
“He said he loves to pitch,” Francona said.
Francona knows it. His teammates know it. Anyone who has watched Diaz pitch the last year knows it. He’s far from the All-Star closer of 2023. To correct it, Francona knows he’s going to have to have a difficult discussion. But that’s why they brought him here to have those discussions.
Just like Francona put his arms around rookie pitcher Chase Petty Wednesday night after giving up nine runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings in his Major League debut, Francona knows exactly what is appropriate.
“That really just put the biggest smile on my face, given being able to see him the greeting that he gave me,” Petty told me. “I feel bad for letting him down, I feel bad for the trust he put into me. And to not be able to live up to that. I tried to keep him in there for the win, just wasn’t able to. It will be better next time.”
Diaz could do well to listen to those words from Petty. Diaz still has an electric arm. But he’s got to work harder at his craft. He’s got to find that determination that made him so special in ’23.
Petty’s struggles were understandable. He was getting knocked around Great American Ball Park but he was a rookie who was getting his bearings. He was overhyped and perhaps overmatched for the moment.
Diaz, four hours earlier, was the opposite. Now it’s time for Diaz to show he can work his way back up.
