Diaz allowed a hit, hit a batter and struck out two in a scoreless inning to earn the save in Saturday's 8-5 win over the Cubs.
It was far from a shutdown inning, but it was good enough to protect a three-run lead. Diaz has allowed multiple baserunners in three of his last five outings, but he's been scored on in just two of his 20 appearances this season. It shakes out as a 1.83 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 37:10 K:BB through 19.2 innings, and he's converted all 11 of his save chances while adding one hold. Diaz's strong pitching this season has solidified his grip on the closer role.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Grabs 10th save
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Diaz picked up the save in Tuesday's 3-1 victory over Colorado. He struck out one over one perfect inning.
Diaz has secured a save in each of his 10 opportunities this season while having allowed no runs in 15 of his 17 appearances. The 26-year-old made light work of the heart of the Rockies' lineup, retiring Elias Diaz, Randal Grichuk and Mike Moustakas in order to pick up the save. Though the Reds aren't expected to be one of MLB's winningest teams and currently rank fourth in the NL Central, Diaz provides fantastic closing value while currently tying for third in MLB in saves while generating a 2.25 ERA and 16.8 K/9.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Picks up ninth save
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Diaz picked up the save in Saturday's 6-5 win over Miami, allowing one run on one hit and three walks while striking out three over 1.2 innings.
Diaz's command was a bit shaky, and he allowed his first run since April 8, but he was still able to secure his second multi-inning save of the year. He's a perfect 9-for-9 in save opportunities this season and sports a 2.40 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 29:7 K:BB over 16 appearances (15 innings). He pitched Friday and Saturday, so Diaz will likely be unavailable for the series finale against Miami on Sunday.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Secures eighth save
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Diaz picked up the save in Friday's 7-4 win over the Marlins, tossing a perfect ninth inning in which he struck out two.
Diaz entered with a three-run lead and retired the side in order, including strikeouts of Jesus Sanchez and Jazz Chisholm. The closer hasn't allowed a run in 12 straight outings (10.1 innings) or blown a save this season. Diaz sports a 2.03 ERA, 0.68 WHIP and 26:4 K:BB through 15 games (13.1 innings) and is quickly becoming one of the best late-inning relievers in MLB.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Snares sixth save
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Diaz picked up the save Saturday against the White Sox. He had no strikeouts over one perfect inning.
Diaz capped off an excellent night from the Cincinnati bullpen, tossing a perfect ninth frame to finish off 5.1 scoreless innings of relief. The 26-year-old has been excellent this season, having allowed a run in only one of his 13 appearances while giving up just four hits over 11 innings and striking out 21 batters. Though Diaz has been a reliable closing option, the Reds have the fourth fewest wins in the National League, meaning save opportunities may come at a premium for Diaz in 2023.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Grabs save in 10th inning
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Diaz walked one and struck out two in a scoreless and hitless inning to earn the save in Tuesday's 2-1 extra-inning win over the Padres.
Diaz had a one-run lead to protect in the 10th inning, and he got the job done. He's now on a seven-inning scoreless streak with 15 strikeouts and two walks over his last nine appearances. The Reds' closer has converted five saves while posting a 2.70 ERA, 0.70 WHIP and 21:3 K:BB over 10 innings this season. He also has a hold and a 1-1 record.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Nabs save Saturday
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Diaz picked up a save against the Athletics on Saturday, striking out all three batters he faced in a perfect ninth inning.
The Reds trailed by a run entering the ninth, but they plated a pair to get the ball in Diaz's hands with a one-run lead. The fireballing closer took over from there, needing 14 pitches to retire the side in order, all on punchouts. Diaz is a perfect 4-for-4 in save opportunities this season, posting a 3.00 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and 19:2 K:BB over nine innings.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Logs third save
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Diaz picked up the save Tuesday against the Rangers. He allowed a hit while striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning.
Diaz worked around a one-out Travis Jankowski single to close out a 7-6 victory. The hard-throwing right-hander is now 3-for-3 in save opportunities this year with a 3.38 ERA, 0.63 WHIP and an outstanding 16:2 K:BB through eight innings this year. While Diaz has the makings of a high-end closer, chances for saves will likely be limited in Cincinnati.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Picks up second save of season
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Diaz picked up the save Thursday against the Phillies and struck out the only batter he faced.
Diaz came in to get the last out, as he was assigned to face Phillies superstar Trea Turner with runners on first and second. The right-hander retired him on five pitches to secure his second save in as many chances. Diaz has been unscored upon in four of five outings but has an inflated 6.23 ERA since he allowed three earned runs in his other appearance.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Takes loss after perfect eighth
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Diaz (0-1) took the loss in Saturday's 3-2 loss against the Phillies. He allowed three runs on two hits and one walk while striking out three over one-plus inning.
Manager David Bell called upon Diaz in the eighth inning with the top of the Phillies' order due up, and the right-hander struck out the side. However, Diaz looked like a completely different pitcher in the ninth as he went for the two-inning save, allowing two singles, a walk and uncorking a wild pitch before getting the hook. Technically, Ian Gibaut gets the blown save since he allowed the walkoff single. Diaz was well rested, having last pitched April 2. While this won't affect Diaz's standing in the Cincinnati bullpen, Bell may think twice next time about going to the 26-year-old for multiple frames.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Secures first save
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Diaz picked up the save with a scoreless ninth inning during Sunday's 3-1 victory over the Pirates. He didn't allow a baserunner and recorded one strikeout.
Diaz delivered a scoreless frame Saturday in a non-save situation and followed up with his first save of the season in Sunday's series finale. The 26-year-old is Cincinnati's best reliever by a wide margin and should see the bulk of the save chances this year, though he's also likely to be used in some high-leverage spots before the ninth inning.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Yields run, earns save
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Diaz allowed one run on two walks in one inning while picking up a save over the Cubs on Monday.
Diaz struggled with his command and nearly let the Cubs make a late comeback but he escaped with his 10th save of the year. The right-handed rookie has given up three earned runs over his last 12 appearances since his last blown save Aug. 23. Despite the shaky outing, Diaz owns a 1.88 ERA with an 81:33 K:BB through 58 appearances.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Picks up ninth save
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Diaz earned the save Sunday against Milwaukee, striking out the side in the ninth inning of a 2-1 victory.
Facing the heart of the Brewers' lineup, Diaz needed 14 pitches to fan all three batters. It was his ninth save of the season and third since Sept. 15. Since the All-Star break he's posted a 1.37 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and 36:10 K:BB in 26.1 innings while closing out six games and holding opposing batters to a .128 batting average.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Two-out save
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Diaz tallied the final two outs without allowing a baserunner to earn the save Wednesday against Boston.
Diaz entered the game with runners on first and second to protect a four-run lead. However, he induced a double-play ball to end the game and earn his eighth save of the season. Since the start of September, Diaz has allowed two earned runs across 7.1 innings while also picking up two wins and two saves. He's served as Cincinnati's primary closer since early August and has maintained a 1.84 ERA with a 76:30 K:BB across 58.2 innings for the campaign.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Survives for seventh save
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Diaz picked up a save against the Cardinals on Thursday, allowing one run on two hits and one walk over one inning.
St. Louis managed only one run and one hit against a trio of Cincinnati pitchers through eight frames, and Diaz was asked to preserve a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth. He allowed a shift-busting single to begin the frame and then walked Tommy Edman to put the tying runs on base before retiring Paul Goldschmidt on a flyout. Nolan Arenado then hit a pop-fly single to load the bases, and Albert Pujols followed with a sacrifice fly, but Diaz got Corey Dickerson to ground out to end the game and earn the save. Despite the shaky outing, Diaz has looked like the Reds' closer of the future, posting a 1.93 ERA and 75:27 K:BB over 56 innings. He's likely to get most of Cincinnati's save chances down the stretch, though those may be limited given the team's poor record.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Earns win Thursday
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Diaz (6-2) earned the win in Thursday's 4-3 victory over the Cubs. He allowed one run on one hit and zero walks while striking out three over 1.2 innings.
Diaz entered the game with one out in the seventh inning down 2-1 and struck out the two batters he faced. He stuck around for the eighth inning after the Reds the game 2-2, and he surrendered a one-out solo shot off the bat of Seiya Suzuki before retiring the next two batters. Cincinnati went on to score two in the ninth to earn Diaz his sixth win in what was a back-and-forth finish to the game. Despite the hiccup, Diaz still owns a dazzling 1.83 ERA and 0.94 WHIP and remains the Reds' primary closer down the stretch.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Picks up win in relief
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Diaz (5-2) earned the win Friday against the Rockies. He allowed a hit and struck out one in a scoreless inning.
Diaz was called upon in the ninth inning of a tied game and pitched well for the Reds, keeping the Rockies off the board. He picked up the win after Jonathan India hit a walkoff RBI single. Diaz seems to be the current favorite late-game option for the Reds. He is one save behind Hunter Strickland for the team lead, but Strickland's last save was Aug. 1 and Diaz has picked up three since then. Diaz also has an impressive 1.72 ERA and and 0.96 WHIP.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Possible waiver wire pickups
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Certainly, there are more promising save sources out there in a number of leagues, chief among them being the Orioles' Felix Bautista, but if your league has already mined the deadline news for incoming closers, then Diaz might be the next-best place to turn. Hunter Strickland, after allowing 10 earned runs in his past nine appearances, is predictably out of the closer role, where he never should have been in the first place. Manager David Bell hasn't expressed any plans for the bullpen beyond that -- and has been reticent to do so in general -- but come on. It has to be Edwin Diaz's little brother this time, right? No other Reds reliever has come close to matching his production this year, and he's been handling the eighth inning for more than a month now.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Bags save in come-from-behind win
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Diaz claimed a save in a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday in the Reds' 4-3 win over the Yankees. He issued a walk and recorded a strikeout in the 13-pitch appearance.
Though Hunter Strickland was available after he hadn't worked since Saturday, he was bypassed for the save chance after squandering his most recent chance June 6. Manager David Bell instead turned to Diaz, who retired three of the four batters he faced to close out the come-from-behind win after the Reds plated four of their runs in the top of the ninth. While Diaz possesses the best skills of any pitcher in the Cincinnati bullpen, Bell's reluctance to commit to a full-time closer since Raisel Iglesias was traded to the Angels following the 2020 season suggests that Diaz and Strickland may continue to share the ninth-inning role.
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Reds' Alexis Diaz: Activated from IL
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Diaz (biceps) was activated from the 15-day injured list Friday, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic reports.
Diaz will make his return Friday as expected, rejoining the team after missing a little over three weeks while nursing a biceps injury. The reliever owns a 2.40 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 36 punchouts and two saves over 30 innings in 27 appearances this season. Diaz should work his way back into a high-leverage role pretty quickly, potentially contending for saves given Hunter Strickland's recent struggles.
