New York Mets place limitations on closer Edwin Diaz for upcoming World Baseball Classic: "We don’t throw back-to-back here until late March"

If Team Puerto Rico had any hopes of riding superstar New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz in the World Baseball Classic, the Mets have officially doused cold water on it.

According to a report by the New York Post, Diaz's participation in the WBC will come with restraints. The pitcher and the team have agreed to the limitations that he will have when participating for Puerto Rico in the tournament that runs from March 7-21.

Diaz is a key member of the Mets bullpen, having saved 32 games for New York in each of the past two seasons.

The constraints have been put in place to protect Diaz's health, in relation to the steady buildup of appearances and pitches he would have in a non-World Baseball Classic spring. Diaz commented to the Post:

"We don't throw back-to-back (games) here until late March."

The Mets have agreed to allow Diaz to pitch every other day should the need arise for Puerto Rico, one of the favorites in this year's tournament. Puerto Rico has not won the World Baseball Classic in the five times the tournament has been competed, but did finish second to the Dominican Republic in 2013 and to the United States in 2017. This is the first WBC since Puerto Rico lost to the U.S. in the 2017 title game.

Edwin Diaz will be joined by younger brother Alexis Diaz on the Puerto Rico roster this year. In his major-league debut last season, Alexis Diaz logged a 7-3 record and 1.84 ERA in 59 games as a setup for the Cincinnati Reds.

Edwin Diaz told the Post that he dreams of having his brother set up a save for him by pitching the eighth before he closes out the ninth.

The elder Diaz said:

"I think that will happen. We have got three or four closers and all those guys won’t pitch the same day, so me and [Alexis] can pitch the same day and the other two closers can go the other day. That would be really good."

World Baseball Classic begins next week

Edwin Diaz #39 of Puerto Rico celebrates after Puerto Rico beat the Dominican Republic in the 2017 World Baseball Classic

Team Puerto Rico opens 2023 World Baseball Classic play by taking on Nicaragua on Saturday, March 11. Puerto Rico plays Venezuela and Israel back-to-back for the next two days before closing out pool play on Wednesday, March 15, against their top WBC rival, Team Dominican Republic.