THIS DAY IN BÉISBOL October 27, 2018: Edwin Diaz wins Mariano Rivera Award for best AL reliever

Edwin Diaz’s last season as the Seattle Mariners’ hard-throwing closer was arguably his best.

On this day in béisbol, October 27, 2018, Diaz was deemed the top reliever in the American League when he took home the Mariano Rivera Award named for the Yankees’ Hall of Fame closer and all-time saves leader.

Diaz, from Naguabo, Puerto Rico, led MLB with 57 saves to go with a 1.96 ERA and 124 strikeouts in 65 games. The 24-year-old righty was the youngest pitcher to get 50 saves and he broke Angels pitcher Francisco Rodriguez’s record of 23 saves protecting a one-run lead.

With his 44th save in August, Diaz also broke Roberto Hernandez’s record for most saves in a season by a Puerto Rican player, set in 1999.

Diaz, along with second baseman Robinson Cano, became the Mets closer after a December 2018 trade to New York.

Also on this day: Manny Ramirez helped the Red Sox break the Curse of the Bambino in 2004 when Boston swept the Cardinals in the World Series. The championship, the first for the Bosox since 1918, came after they orchestrating the greatest comeback in baseball history when they beat the Yankees in the ALCS after being down 0-3.

Ramirez was named ALCS MVP for batting.412 (7-for-17) with a home run and four RBIs.

Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons; LatinoBaseball.com illustration