June 24, 2015: The Reds signed RHP Alexis Diaz after they drafted him in the 12th round, out of  Juan Jose Maunez High School in Puerto Rico. He signed with scout Will Harford.

In 2022, the Baseball America Prospect Handbook rated Diaz as the 23rd-best prospect in the eds organization.

July 4, 2022:  When the Mets take the field at Great American Ball Park, Edwin and Alexis Díaz won’t be the only members of their family present. The two brothers will be there, of course, along with their mother, father, sister, nieces and others.

It’s a family reunion for a specific occasion. Although Alexis Díaz is wrapping up an injured-list stint and won’t participate in the games between the Mets and Reds, he will still be able to spend time with Edwin Díaz, his older brother. Edwin plans to hang out at Alexis’ apartment while in Cincinnati, where the two will enjoy each other’s company for the first time since March.

“We FaceTime each other every night, after every outing that we do,” Alexis said. “If not, if he can’t find me, he’ll text me and say, ‘Dang, I was nasty.’ Then I’d go check the highlights and I’m like, ‘Yeah, you were definitely nasty.’”

Edwin Díaz may be having his nastiest season to date, leading qualified Major Leaguers by a wide margin with 17.5 strikeouts per nine innings. He’s 18 for 21 in save opportunities with a 1.95 ERA.

Of course, the elder Díaz has been doing this sort of thing for a long time. Alexis, who is three years younger, endured a more complicated road to the Majors, including undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2016. He pitched at Double-A Chattanooga last season but skipped a level, making Cincinnati’s big league bullpen out of Spring Training.

Six weeks later, Alexis and Edwin Díaz became the third set of siblings -- and the first in nearly a quarter-century -- to record saves on the same day.

“I’m really proud, because he’s worked really hard,” Edwin Díaz said of Alexis. “He had some injuries when he was in the Minor Leagues, but he made it, and he’s doing really, really good right now. I’m really happy for him.”

In recent weeks, a bout of right biceps tendinitis has kept Alexis on the IL, where he’s been since June 19. He will not be active for the three-game series against the Mets, and although Alexis is nearing a return, the closest Edwin will get to see him in action will be during a live batting-practice session.

The injury interrupted what had been a strong rookie season for Alexis, who owns a 2.40 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 27 appearances while using a two-pitch mix of four-seam fastballs and sliders. It’s the same strategy that Edwin has used to great effect in New York, which is hardly a coincidence. The two talk often about pitching, both during the regular season and after Alexis’ games for Santurce in the Puerto Rican Winter League. Alexis offers plenty of advice to Edwin as well, despite his older brother’s more accomplished track record.

“We are really, really tight,” Edwin said. “We do everything together.” 

The last time Alexis watched his older brother pitch in person was 2018, when Edwin was with the Mariners.

“After my Minor League season was over, I would fly into Seattle and stay two weeks with him,” Alexis said. “I felt that same adrenaline as he did on the field whenever I saw him pitch. I felt that energy coming through him to me. It was a magical time when he was pitching out there with Seattle. I’ve seen it so much that I can understand where I get that energy, too.”

For the 25-year-old Alexis, stepping onto the same Major League field as Edwin will be extra special, even if he won’t be on the active roster. The Reds will travel to Citi Field for another three-game series Aug. 8-10, giving the brothers an opportunity to become the first Puerto Rican-born siblings to oppose each other in a Major League game.

“It’s something that I’ve thought about forever,” Alexis said. “We’ve talked about it with my brother since the beginning that we would face each other.”

Added Edwin: “I’m really happy for him and looking forward to seeing him stay in the big leagues like me.” (A DiComo & M Sheldon - MLB.com - July 4, 2022)

Alexis Diaz committed to play for Puerto Rico in the 2023 WBC.

The injury was so traumatic, the confusion so extreme, Alexis Díaz’s memory remains cloudy.

More than two months later, Alexis, 26, says he knew he was not at fault. Not the reason his older brother, Edwin, 29, crumbled to the ground during Puerto Rico’s celebration of its 5-2 victory over the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Not the cause of the torn right patellar tendon in Edwin’s right knee, an injury that, at the moment of Puerto Rico’s greatest triumph, left Alexis and several of his teammates in sorrowful tears.

To Alexis, Edwin is more than simply an older brother. Edwin is Alexis’ closest advisor, his role model, his best friend. Edwin is involved in virtually every aspect of Alexis’ career, right down to picking his walk-out song. And he knew that night, even while facing potential season-ending surgery, that Alexis needed him.

“I talked to him because he was saying it was his fault when I got hurt, because he was the one who first hugged me,” said Edwin, who in seven previous major-league seasons had never been on the injured list. “But we saw the video. No one kicked me or did anything to me. I just got hurt by myself.

“I said, ‘I got hurt. That’s not your problem. That’s not anyone’s problem. You have to keep going, keep pitching, keep doing what you’re doing.’ I told him, ‘This is your second year in the big leagues. People will start studying you more. The hitters will know you better. You have to keep doing what you’re doing, do better this year.’”

Alexis has done just that, converting all 13 of his save opportunities with the Reds.

Edwin, the Mariners’ third-round pick in 2012, and Alexis, the Reds’ 12th-rounder in 2015, have combined for 228 major-league saves, 205 by Edwin. It is the second-highest total by brothers since saves became official in 1969, trailing Tim and Todd Worrell, who combined for 327.

“They’ve got some pretty incredible genes,” Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson said. (Rosenthal - June 1, 2023 - The Athletic)

Díaz, who has converted 23 of his 24 save opportunities, was an easy selection for the Reds. His save total is second only to the Giants Camilo Doval in the National League. Díaz has a 2.19 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 37 innings pitched.

“What an incredible representative for the Reds and for our team, not only the way he’s pitched but the way he goes about it every single day. He’s an incredible teammate,” Reds manager David Bell said. “Probably the most impressive thing about Alexis is he had a good season as a rookie and he was not in the least bit satisfied. He found ways to get better in his second season. He has been better to this point of the year than last year. That says a lot.”

It is Díaz’s first All-Star appearance, but the third for his family. His brother Edwin is a two-time All-Star, including last season. Alexis said he called his brother as soon as he got the news.

“I can’t wait to have fun and see what the show is like,” Alexis said according to the Reds’ official interpreter, Jorge Merlos, who will also head to Seattle. “My brother has given me a couple of details of what it is like, how the process is, what the process is, but I just can’t wait to see what the show looks like.” (Rosecrans - Jul 2, 2023 - The Athletic)

Diaz has a 94-98 mph FASTBALL. He has an 85-88 mph SLIDER. And he has a solid CHANGEUP. 

Because of his low three-quarters slot, Diaz has an exceptionally low release point. He has a very low approach angle on his 93-97 mph fastball. Diaz’s above-average fastball has enough velocity to keep hitters looking for it, but really it’s just the appetizer for his plus slider that he throws every bit as much as his fastball. It’s thrown at 83-88 mph and looks like his fastball coming out of his

hand. Diaz can throw it in the zone or out depending on the situation, flipping between a short, cutterish version and a bigger one that runs away from hitters’ bats. His command is average, but he has below-average control thanks to his slider-heavy approach. (Spring 2022)

2021 Season: Diaz, 25, was 3-1 with a 3.83 ERA, a 1.18 WHIP and two saves over 35 relief appearances for Chattanooga last season. He can rack up a lot of strikeouts, having recorded 70 over 42 1/3 innings in 2021.

Reds vice president of player development Shawn Pender said of Alexis: “He ran through a couple points this summer where I think he had a little dead arm, a little fatigue, but overall he showed two plus pitches and was dominating.” Diaz performed well against batters on both sides of the plate and allowed a .194 opponent average overall.

“He’s around the plate. You’d like to see him be able to command his entire mix just a tick better.

'It’s a development process. It’s not like he had below-average command and control, it’s always solid. You start moving up to higher levels (and) you’d like to see it happen a little more consistently.” (Doug Gray - Baseball America - Jan., 2022)

May 18, 2022: When two brothers both make it to Major League Baseball, it’s exciting. Though usually with separate organizations, it’s still fun to watch the two of them do their thing. One set of MLB brothers recently made history, each recording a save.

Mets’ closer Edwin Diaz took the mound in the ninth inning against the Cardinals on a Tuesday. While he made things a little interesting, putting the tying runs on base, he managed to strike out Harrison Bader and put the game away.

A few hours later in Cleveland, Edwin’s brother Alexis took the mound in the bottom of the tenth and struck out Jose Ramirez to earn a save for the Reds.  (Curt Bishop)

Oct 5, 2022: When Reds Spring Training started, there was buzz surrounding some of their rookies – namely Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo. But little was said at the time about reliever Alexis Díaz. After he made the team out of camp, the 26-year-old Díaz quickly emerged as Cincinnati’s best reliever and is the de facto closer.

Díaz has a 1.84 ERA and 0.96 WHIP with 83 strikeouts in 59 appearances and 63 2/3 innings. Díaz is finishing the season as a rare pitcher who leads his team in both wins (7) and saves (10). Since the save became an official stat in 1969, it’s only the 16th time that has happened. It most recently happened in the shortened 2020 season for Richard Rodriguez of the Pirates.

The last time it happened in a full season was by Doug Jones of the Astros in 1992. The Reds bullpen could be an interesting group in 2023, by the way, if Tejay Antone and Lucas Sims can return from injuries to join Díaz to work the late innings. We’ll have all offseason to delve into those possibilities. (M Sheldon - MLB.com - Oct 5, 2022) 

2022 Season: 63 2/3 IP, 7-3, 10 SV, 1.84 ERA, 33 BB, 83 K, 0.96 WHIP, .131 BAA

In 59 appearances last season, Díaz led the Reds with seven wins and 10 saves out of 14 attempts, while posting a 1.84 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. Over 63 2/3 innings, he struck out 83 batters with 33 walks and five home runs allowed.