SEATTLE, Wash. – Mariners right-handed pitcher Edwin Díaz has been named the Hartford Presents American League Reliever of the Month for August. Díaz has won the award in 3 consecutive months, 4 of 5 months this season and 5 times overall in his career (also: July 2017, April 2018, June 2018 and July 2018).
Major League Baseball made the announcement this afternoon.
Díaz is the first player to win 4 monthly awards in a single season since Mike Trout won 4 AL Rookie of the Month awards in 2012 and the first non-rookie since Pedro Martínez earned 4 AL Pitcher of the Month honors in 1999.
Díaz joins Edgar Martinez (5-time AL Player of the Month) and Ichiro Suzuki (4-time AL Rookie of the Month and 1-time AL Player of the Month) as the only Mariners to earn 5 career monthly awards of any kind.
Díaz converted 10-of-11 save opportunities while posting a 1.64 ERA (2 ER, 11.0 IP) in 11 relief appearances in the month of August. He struck out 21 and did not walk a batter while limiting opposing batters to a .195 (8×41) average against while recording a 0.73 WHIP (0 BB, 8 H, 11.0 IP). The 6-foot-3, 165-pound right-hander averaged 17.18 strikeouts-per-9.0-innings (21 K, 11.0 IP). His 10 saves in the month of August led the Major Leagues.
On Aug. 25 at Arizona, Díaz recorded his 50th save of the season, becoming the 14th pitcher in Major League history (done 17x) to reach that milestone. He is only the 2nd pitcher ever with at least 50 saves and 100 strikeouts, joining Eric Gagne (2002-03 w/LAD). Díaz’s 50th save came in the Mariners 130th game of the season, becoming the 2nd-fastest pitcher by games played in Major League history to reach the 50-save plateau, trailing only Francisco Rodriguez, who reached the milestone in the Angels 129th game in 2008 on his way to a single-season Major League record 62 saves. At 24 years of age, Díaz is the youngest pitcher ever to reach 50 saves.
Overall this season, Díaz has converted 52-of-56 (92.9%) save opportunities with a 1.90 ERA (14 ER, 66.1 IP) with 115 strikeouts and 16 walks in 66 relief appearances. Díaz is averaging 15.60 strikeouts-per-9.0-innings (115 K, 66.1 IP) while limiting opposing batters to a .157 (36×230) average against. He has struck out 46% (115×250) of batters faced, the top mark by a reliever this season and the 4th-best strikeout rate by a reliever in single-season Major League history. He has also posted a 0.78 WHIP (16 BB, 36 H, 66.1 IP). Díaz leads the Major Leagues in saves and ranks 2nd among all relievers in strikeouts. Among American League relievers, Díaz is 1st in WHIP, 3rd in K/9.0 IP and 3rd in opponents’ average against. The Mariners are 61-0 when Díaz enters with a lead this season, including 29-0 when he enters with a 1-run lead. Díaz is 26-for-29 in 1-run save opportunities (89.6%). He set the Mariners single-season record for saves with his 49th save on Aug. 24 at Arizona.
In three seasons with Seattle (2016-c), Díaz is 104-for-116 (89.7%) in save opportunities with a 2.64 ERA (54 ER, 184.0 IP) with 292 strikeouts and 63 walks in 181 relief appearances. He recorded his 100th career save on Aug. 20 vs. Houston; at 24 years, 151 days of age, he became the 2nd-fastest pitcher by age to reach 100 saves since the save became an official stat in 1969 (Roberto Osuna-TOR, 23 years, 62 days, 4/10/18 at BAL). He ranks 2nd all-time in club history with 104 career saves, behind only Kazuhiro Sasaki (129). His 14.28 strikeouts-per-9.0-innings (292 K, 184.0 IP) mark is the best in club history (min. 100.0 IP) ahead of Randy Johnson (10.58).
