Edwin Diaz’s season is over.

The New York Mets All-Star closer was lost for the season after tearing the Patellar tendon in his right knee while celebrating Puerto Rico’s victory over the Dominican Republic in Miami. Diaz had to be helped off the field, and needed a wheelchair to get off the field to the clubhouse and the examination room.

The only good news for New York is the revelation Friday that the Mets will be reimbursed for losing Diaz for the year. Major League Baseball has an insurance policy in place that protects teams against injury during the World Baseball Classic. According to SNY and the New York Post, the Mets would be covered for $18.64 million.

Still the debate rages on whether the World Baseball Classic should be moved to another part of the calendar, perhaps November, if not stopped altogether.  Anti-WBC thought has been that players can’t ramp to a postseason level in the month of March when the focus should be on the season.

WBC enthusiasts point that the Classic is not to blame for the injury and that players want to play in it so they can get the rare opportunity to represent their country, since baseball doesn’t have a home in the Olympics.

• Howie Rose - Mets Radio

  I’m sure there are hurdles that would need to be cleared, but if the WBC could be moved to November, a player suffering an 8 month injury would be back in the majors by sometime around the All Star break. Winter leagues generally begin in December. There has to be a better way.

  — Howie Rose (@HowieRose) March 16, 2023

• Steve Cohen - Mets Owner

  Edwin Diaz is a great human being and a fierce competitor. All of us at the Mets are shaken but determined to sustain our quest for a great season. We wish Edwin a speedy recovery.

  — Steven Cohen (@StevenACohen2) March 16, 2023

• Steve Gelbs - Mets Sideline reporter

  On the WBC, it’s nuanced:
  
  I understand completely those who think it’s too big of a risk. I also understand how important it is to the players and the growth of the game.
  
  As far as Díaz goes, yes it was a freak injury…it was also a uniquely WBC one. pic.twitter.com/hNjH338Kbz

  — Steve Gelbs (@SteveGelbs) March 16, 2023

• Mark Healey - Gotham Baseball

  “Multiple players have said they would take a WBC chip over a World Series.”
  
  That’s the issue for me right there. Anyone who’d rather win the WBC than the World Series can rip up their contract and play elsewhere. https://t.co/eIvCCYwptP

  — Mark C. Healey (@MarkCHealey) March 16, 2023

• Players Defend WBC

  6 Dominican players were asked if they'd rather win the World Series or WBC. NONE said World Series
  
  To those of you criticizing players for representing their country in the WBC instead of getting ready to play for your MLB team, watch this: pic.twitter.com/SMa8Civ9jI

  — The Game Day MLB (@TheGameDayMLB) March 17, 2023

• KFC BarStool

  Oddly enough for the first time in history, I’m aligned with Yankees fans. There’s a reason why the best, most famous American and all his teammates on the most famous baseball team in history aren’t there. Aaron Judge probably hung up that phone so fast when Team USA called 😂😂

  — KFC (@KFCBarstool) March 17, 2023

• Brandon Nimmo on playing in WBC

  Brandon Nimmo shares his reasoning as to why he decided to not play in the WBC:
  
  "That's my most important thing right now, the Mets. I want to win a World Series and maybe that makes me a bad person, but I rather win a World Series than a WBC." pic.twitter.com/OIUSX2ea0K

  — SNY (@SNYtv) March 12, 2023

• Max Scherzer on WBC

  Max Scherzer knows WBC is not real baseball. This is the fakest tournament in the world considering it’s held during spring training. #WBC2023 #WBCisajoke pic.twitter.com/U6SfMidVLY

  — JRED (@jredauthentic) March 16, 2023

• Debates Get HEATED

  You are a complete idiot if you think this injury had anything to do with the WBC. This injury could’ve happened in a celebration for a combined no-hitter, division clinch, anything. It was a complete freak injury that the WBC deserves 0% of the blame for https://t.co/gSEqdZ1KIK

  — Addison (@YankeeWRLD) March 16, 2023

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