#Edwin Diaz may have lost Mets’ trust after another meltdown

Edwin Diaz is getting off easy. The cardboard cutouts will remain quiet.

Following a brutal debut season in Queens spent absorbing venom from Mets fans, Diaz has quickly destroyed any optimism of a bounce-back campaign — and potentially lost the trust of new manager Luis Rojas — following his second straight ninth-inning meltdown, coming in Thursday’s 4-2 loss to the Red Sox at Citi Field.

Diaz — appearing for the first time since surrendering Sunday’s two-out, two-strike, game-tying home run to Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna, leading to an extra-inning loss — was called upon for the ninth with the Mets trailing by one. But after throwing 34 pitches in his first two outings of the season, Diaz needed 35 pitches to record just one out, while allowing one run, walking two, hitting one batter and leaving with the bases loaded.

“A different Diaz than what I saw in camp, than what I saw the first two outings,” Rojas said. “Not the same Diaz we’ve seen recently. Definitely we gotta have talks, we gotta work and make sure we get him right back on track.”

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In addition to issues with Diaz’s command and mechanics, Rojas detected another problem.

“I did see some emotions when he wasn’t getting the results,” Rojas said. “He has to control his emotions.”

Diaz’s latest setback began with a leadoff walk to Alex Verdugo. Next came a single by Michael Chavis, followed by a four-pitch walk to Andrew Benintendi to load the bases. After striking out Rafael Devers, Diaz brought home a Boston insurance run by hitting Jose Peraza, leaving the mound responsible for three runners on base. Paul Sewald’s retiring of the next two hitters prevented Diaz’s 7.71 ERA from jumping higher.

Just five days earlier, Diaz opened the season with a save, triggering flashbacks of the Mariners All-Star who posted a league-high 57 saves and a 1.96 ERA in 2018, before being acquired in a blockbuster deal by the Mets.

Now, the more familiar images of the closer who lost his job and recorded a career-worst 5.59 ERA with seven blown saves has returned. Since joining the Mets, Diaz’s 37 earned runs allowed in the ninth inning or later are the most given up by any pitcher in the majors.

Afterward, Rojas wouldn’t commit to continuing to use Diaz in such high-leverage situations.

“We need to talk. We need to work,” Rojas said. “That’s something we’re gonna do as a staff.”