Edwin Diaz is close to regaining his status as the Seattle Mariners' closer after being removed from the role earlier this week.
Mariners manager Scott Servais said Diaz showed signs of improvement in his two-inning outing Friday and said he hopes to use the hard-throwing reliever as his closer again soon.
"We'll take one more good one and see where we're at," Servais told reporters before Seattle's 16-1 loss Saturday to the White Sox. "You can see how the bullpen is being managed, we're trying to match up and see who is available. ... I feel very confident that if he keeps moving in that direction, he'll be back doing the ninth inning solo and we can get back to him being our anchor. That's what we're trying to get back to."
Diaz could not convert a save opportunity Monday, when he walked four batters in one-third of an inning against the Athletics. Servais announced the next day that Diaz had been temporarily removed from the closer role, saying Seattle would use a committee in save situations.
But just four days later, Servais said he was "really encouraged" by Diaz's appearance Friday against the White Sox, when the right-hander had two strikeouts in two scoreless innings and threw 20 of 29 pitches for strikes.
"That was one of his better outings of the year, maybe his best," Servais said. "He commanded the fastball to the glove side, he had an idea where it was going."
Diaz, 23, has seven saves and a 4.67 ERA this season but has struggled with his command, allowing 10 walks in 17 1/3 innings. He emerged as Seattle's top reliever as a rookie last year, when he recorded 18 saves and a 2.79 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings.