Alexis Díaz has been a completely different pitcher

In 2023, back when Alexis Díaz was an All-Star, he was known for his deception. Now he’s not fooling anybody.

In a 6-0 loss to the Cardinals on Wednesday, Díaz allowed five runs in the ninth inning and let the game get away from the Reds. As poorly as Díaz was pitching, Reds manager Terry Francona left him out there to throw 34 pitches.

What is Díaz’s role on this team right now?

He’s not the type of pitcher whose durability, availability and ability to log outs provide value in the mold of Brent Suter or Scott Barlow.

Francona clearly doesn’t view Díaz as a high-leverage guy right now, and Díaz isn’t pitching in close games where the Reds have the lead unless there’s no other option.

There’s a role for a guy who’s able to get a big strikeout early in a game or when the bases are jammed, which is the old Lucas Sims role. But Díaz allowed as many home runs (three) on Wednesday alone as he has strikeouts all season.

So, he’s a low-leverage one inning guy where you still have to pick your spots for when to pitch him?

In 2023, Díaz ranked in the 95th percentile in all of baseball in getting guys to swing and miss. Joey Votto was raving about Díaz’s deception. Díaz could be effectively wild in the zone and still miss bats whenever he was throwing strikes.

What we’re seeing now from him is unrecognizable. His whiff rate and strikeout rate are near the bottom of the league, his fastball velocity is down and his mechanics don’t seem to be where they need to be.

Last week against the Marlins, Miami put the pedal to the medal with Díaz on the mound and ran at will against him. Because of Díaz’s slow time to the plate, the Reds’ catchers didn’t stand a chance.

He seems to be using more of a sidestep out of the stretch recently, but obviously it hasn’t been working well enough.

Wednesday was the second time in the last eight days (including that Miami game) where the game got away from the Reds with Díaz on the mound and where he looked like he lost his confidence mid-inning.

Are Díaz’s struggles about his mechanics, or his approach and his mindset?

“How do you know?” Francona said. “I haven’t even talked to him about his mindset. He said he loves to pitch. He just left some pitches over the plate.”

Díaz declined to speak to the media after the game.

From my perspective, Díaz looks like a reliever who’s dejected about the fact that he’s not the closer. But clearly, he hasn’t been pitching nearly well enough to merit a high-leverage role, let alone the ninth inning.

Because of his struggles in spring training, Díaz wasn’t a lock to make the Opening Day roster before going on the injured list with a hamstring injury. It became a rare case when a pitcher worked on mechanical adjustments on the IL during the season instead of during spring training.

Díaz still has more upside than any Reds reliever. There should be a good pitcher here. But he hasn’t shown any of that this season.

In Triple-A, there are relievers who’d have a clearer path toward a role in the current Reds’ bullpen. Zach Maxwell and Luis Mey are more likely to find a strikeout, lefty Joe La Sorsa really turned heads in camp, and former Yankee Albert Abreu has been pitching well. Sam Moll is on a rehab assignment and also could be activated.

Ultimately, Francona and the Reds’ front office are going to have to sit down and decide whether or not they’re going to let Díaz keep pitching through his mistakes.