When Carson Jasa left the game for the Hyannis Harbor Hawks after five scoreless innings, striking out seven Wareham Gatemen hitters, there were some questions as to whether Chris Diaz, making his way in from the bullpen, would be able to keep up the momentum that Jasa had built over the first half of the game.
The Harbor Hawks ended up losing the game 3-2, but it wasn’t because of Diaz. The right handed reliever from Florida Gulf Coast University delivered two hitless innings, striking out three of the six hitters he faced.
Hawks manager Mitch Karraker was very happy after the game about what he saw from Diaz, who has been with the team for a week, but got into his first game Saturday night against Wareham.
“[He] pounded the strike zone, which was really good,” said Karraker. “[His] slider is a really good pitch. Super confident out there. Looked very comfortable, which is not normal [the] first time on [the] Cape. He was electric, which was great to see.”
Diaz spent 2024 with the University of Miami before transferring two hours northwest to Fort Myers, Florida, to join the Eagles. He posted a 4.80 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 75 innings pitched this spring, making 12 starts and throwing two complete games, one being a shutout.
Diaz felt relaxed in his first Cape League game, crediting his defense behind him for a quick adjustment.
“[It] felt nice to be able to compete again with the boys,” said Diaz. “I felt like I had a good group behind me, and it just felt nice and easy to go out there and compete again.”
On the mound, Diaz brings a five-pitch mix to opposing hitters. He relies on a four-seam fastball, sinker, cutter, slider, and changeup to get outs. In his debut outing with the Hawks, it was clear his pitches were working.
“I feel like I have gotten pretty comfortable with all those pitches,” said Diaz. “Being able to throw them in any count, any zone, I feel like is really helpful for my game. Just understanding that and doubling down on it, not trying to shy away from the pitcher that I am is really helpful.”
Diaz struck out Wareham’s Levi Clark in the sixth inning, sandwiched between a pair of flyouts to get through his first inning of work. He started the seventh inning by getting a groundout from Colby Turner before getting Chase Krewson to strike out swinging and then catching Easton Breyfogle looking at strike three to end the inning and his debut.
Diaz feels that if he can attack hitters rather than shying away from them, especially with the caliber of talent the Hawks have seen at the Cape League level, he will consistently have success.
“Getting ahead quick and getting on top of guys, getting in favorable counts for myself, [I] feel like that is my biggest concern [when] going into ballgames,” said Diaz. “If I have that in mind, then smooth sailing through there.”
So far in July, the Hawks' pitching staff has had its struggles, having given up double-digit runs three times in 10 games, as opposed to just once in 13 games in June. Diaz’s first outing was a breath of fresh air for Karraker and the Hawks’ staff, and if Hyannis wants to snap out of its 2-6-2 start to the month, they could use more of these types of games.
