The New York Mets pulled off a dramatic extra-innings win against the Philadelphia Phillies, but the postgame buzz wasn't about the final score — it was all about Edwin Diaz's mysterious 10th-inning exit. After pitching a clean ninth, the Mets' closer appeared visibly uncomfortable during warmups the next frame, stepping off the mound repeatedly before being pulled by manager Carlos Mendoza.
Initially, the concern was an injury, but Diaz himself downplayed it.
“Just cramps in my hip,” Diaz told SYN on X, formerly Twitter. “Nothing serious.”
The right-hander sounded confident that the issue wouldn't linger, a sentiment supported by Mendoza. But then, Diaz offered a medical twist that had fans doing a double-take.
“Yesterday, my legs–one was longer than the other one,” Diaz went on to tell SYN TV. “We worked on that yesterday… I was feeling better after.”
No, that's not a joke. According to Diaz, the Mets' trainers noticed the imbalance and corrected it by working on his hips and posture.
The admission sparked everything from genuine concern to humorous speculation across social media platforms. Fans questioned how a player's leg could suddenly grow or shrink overnight, and whether it was a new chapter in the Mets' long, bizarre injury history.
Still, Diaz remains unfazed. The closer, who returned this year from a 2023 season-ending injury, emphasized that he felt strong after the adjustment and is ready to pitch again when his number is called. The Mets can't afford any bullpen instability as they pick up momentum in the NL East standings.
While the idea of leg-length issues may sound more like a sitcom plot than a baseball injury report, the Mets' training staff seems to have handled the situation swiftly. For now, New York will continue to rely on Diaz to slam the door shut, ideally with both legs firmly the same length.