The Puerto Rico baseball team pulled off quite a feat by defeating the mighty Dominican Republic at the World Classic on Wednesday, but the celebrations quickly turned sour.
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Pitcher Edwin Diaz passed Teoscar Hernandez in the mitten to turn a 5-2 win into the final by grabbing his right leg. The star player was unable to weight him and was wheeled off the field in a wheelchair. He tearfully greeted the crowd before heading into the dressing room.
The next day, the Mets announced that the main casualty would have surgery to treat a tendon rupture in his knee. According to the ESPN network, he will miss the entire 2023 season.
Diaz is one of the highest-paid helpers in the major leagues, having agreed to a record five-year, $102 million contract in November. The two-time All-Star gamer made 32 saves last season.