The New York Mets have thrown 15,166 pitches this season, but the most important one came Tuesday night in a high-stakes moment. Jake Diekman delivered a game-saving pitch to Aaron Judge, helping secure a 3-2 victory over the Yankees in the Bronx.
In the ninth inning of a one-run game, Diekman, facing intense pressure, struck out Judge with a perfectly placed fastball, marking the Mets’ most crucial moment of the season. Diekman then completed the save, ending a game that felt more like October baseball, lasting three hours and 13 minutes.
Diekman, who had faced significant criticism along with the rest of the bullpen, rose to the occasion when it mattered most. Manager Carlos Mendoza turned to Diekman because Edwin Díaz and Jose Buttó had thrown a high number of pitches in Monday’s win in Miami, necessitating a strategic lineup for the final innings.
The Mets’ strategy all night was to avoid pitching to Judge, who had been walked four times before the ninth inning. However, after Diekman walked Juan Soto on four pitches, Mendoza opted not to advance the tying run to scoring position by walking Judge.
“I don’t know,” Mendoza joked. “I thought (Diekman’s) fastball had life from the get-go. When you see that and he’s attacking hitters, I feel pretty good.”
Diekman started Judge with a center-cut fastball for strike one, followed by two changeups, the second of which resulted in a foul. With the count at 1-2, Diekman threw a fastball off the plate, then followed with another perfectly placed fastball on the inside corner to strike out Judge.
“The last heater was spotted perfectly,” Diekman said. “Just challenged him and made quality pitches.”
“That last pitch was awesome, outstanding,” added Jeff McNeil, who had hit a two-run homer earlier to give the Mets the lead. McNeil has been on fire with four homers in five games since the All-Star break.
The Mets’ strategy to avoid Judge was effective throughout the game. Jose Quintana, battling recent illness and travel fatigue, executed the plan by retiring key hitters in critical moments. He minimized damage, only allowing a solo homer to Gleyber Torres and getting crucial outs when needed.
“Face those guys with nobody on base,” Quintana said. “That was my plan.”
Quintana’s performance, alongside solid contributions from Alex Young, Dedniel Núñez, and Phil Maton, set the stage for Diekman’s dramatic save. Mendoza praised Quintana’s effort, saying, “He made pitches when he needed. Hell of an outing for him.”
Diekman’s clutch performance, backed by his manager’s confidence, was pivotal in securing the win. “Be on the offense,” Diekman said. “Good things can happen.”
