Cincinnati Reds' Alexis Díaz soaks in 'incredible' All-Star week, pivots to playoff drive

SEATTLE – The year before Edwin Díaz reached the majors with the Seattle Mariners in 2016, little brother Alexis Díaz traveled to Seattle for a pre-draft workout for the Mariners.

The next time Alexis Díaz threw a pitch from that mound, the stadium had been renamed, filled with more than 47,000 fans, it was eight years after the Cincinnati Reds drafted him instead of the Mariners, and American League All-Stars Whit Merrifield, Salvador Perez, Brent Rooker, Bo Bichette and Vlad Guerrero Jr. took turns taking hacks at his best stuff.

And the way the young Reds right-hander sees it, that experience Tuesday night means he now can say he’s an All-Star closer. Just like his big brother. And just like his big brother said it would be.

“It was just so cool to go up against these high-caliber, quality batters,” Díaz said through Reds interpreter Jorge Merlos after allowing hits to Perez and Rooker and a sacrifice fly to Bichette – before inducing an inning-ending grounder from Home Run Derby champ Guerrero.

“It was everything he said,” Alexis said of Edwin, now the New York Mets’ All-Star closer, who’s home in Puerto Rico rehabbing a knee injury. “He told me to go enjoy it, every part of it. And I enjoyed it to the fullest, just like he said I would.”

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The run Díaz gave up put the AL ahead, but Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Díaz delivered a two-run homer in the eighth to lift the NL to a 3-2 victory.

The Reds’ second-year closer goes home with some autographed cleats, plenty of swag and “incredible” memories and has only one thing on his mind after the two-day whirlwind as the only All-Star selected from the first-place Reds:

Pitching as well as he can as often as he team wants to ask to help get them all onto an even bigger, better stage in a few months.

“I’m just so excited about this team, and what we’ve done together,” Díaz said of a Reds team that has won 21 of 27 as it opens the second half against the second-place Milwaukee Brewers at home with their one-game division lead on the line.

“That was our plan at the beginning of the year, to get to at least the All-Star break in first place, and here we are,” he said, adding he was surprised no teammates were selected to join him in Seattle.

Maybe that’s a chip some of them can take into the second half. Even third-place Chicago Cubs (three) and fourth-place Pittsburgh Pirates (two) had multiple selections.

For now, Díaz rests up Wednesday, throws a little Thursday, he said, “and then back on.”

The National League saves leader (26 in 27 chances) has a 2.03 ERA in 41 appearances, and said he’s ready for any workload down the stretch and through October that might be needed – and any level of spotlight and big-game heat any of it might involve.

That’s something he was ready for even before the big-stage gauntlet he faced Tuesday.

“It really started at the World Baseball Classic (in March),” Diaz said. “And this being my first full year as the closer for the team, we’ve seen different [pressure] moments throughout the year that has really prepared me for anything that comes ahead.

“I’m sure that things will get harder as we go,” he said. “But I’ll be ready.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: After NL's All-Star win, Alexis Díaz pivots to Reds' playoff drive