Closer Edwin Díaz of the New York Mets has been named the National League Reliever of the Month for May, and closer Jhoan Duran of the Minnesota Twins has been voted the American League Reliever of the Month for May. The announcements were made earlier today on MLB Network.
Díaz claimed his ninth career Reliever of the Month Award after previously winning with the Mets in June, July and August 2022. Prior to those awards, he won five times as a member of the Mariners, including July 2017 and four times across 2018 (April & June-August). He is one of three Mets to earn the honor, joined by 2025 Hall of Fame Inductee Billy Wagner (July 2007); and Seth Lugo (July 2019). Duran earned his first Reliever of the Month Award, joining Joe Nathan, who won in July 2006, July 2008 and June 2009, as the only winners in Twins’ history.
Edwin Díaz, New York Mets (@sugardiaz39)
• The 31-year-old went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/11.1 IP), converting all five of his save opportunities across 11 appearances in which he allowed just three hits with four walks, 14 strikeouts, a 0.62 WHIP, a .083 opponents’ average and 11.12 strikeouts per 9.0 innings.
• The Puerto Rico native did not allow a hit in each of his final nine appearances (9.1 IP), marking the longest streak of his career without allowing a hit, surpassing four streaks of seven games, most recently in 2022. He is the first Mets’ reliever to not allow a hit in nine consecutive appearances since Adam Ottavino last year.
• The two-time All-Star has not allowed a home run in 15 consecutive appearances since April 23rd against Philadelphia. Along with his stellar May and his seven saves in a scoreless July 2022, Díaz is one of four Mets relievers with at least five saves and no runs allowed in a single month and just the second to accomplish the feat twice, joining LaTroy Hawkins (7 SV in September/October 2013); Billy Wagner (8 SV in July 2007); and John Franco (2x: 6 SV in June 1998 & 8 SV in August 1995).
• The 2018 Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year and 2022 Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year has offered scoreless relief in 20 of his 25 appearances this season, with the Mets going 20-5 when he toes the rubber. He struck out three batters and recorded the save on May 24th against Los Angeles (NL) and May 30th against Colorado, and he now has 55 career saves in which he struck out at least three batters, marking the most in the Majors by any pitcher since his debut in 2016.
• The third-round selection in the 2012 Draft (by SEA) converted each of his first 13 save opportunities of the year, becoming the 14th pitcher since saves became official in 1969 to record at least 10 saves in eight of their first nine career seasons. Prior to a blown save on June 2nd at Dodger Stadium in which he earned the win, he was one of three closers with at least 10 saves and no blown saves, joining Josh Hader (14 SV) and Kenley Jansen (11 SV).
Jhoan Duran, Minnesota Twins (@jhoan_duran59)
• The 27-year-old went 4-1 with a 0.60 ERA (1 ER/15.0 IP), converting seven of his eight save opportunities across 15 appearances in which he allowed 12 hits with five walks, 20 strikeouts, a 1.13 WHIP, a .214 opponents’ average and 12.00 strikeouts per 9.0 innings.
• The Dominican Republic native pitched on back-to-back days on six occasions, converting saves on back-to-back days on May 3rd-4th and May 7th-8th at the front end of Minnesota’s 13-game winning streak. During the winning streak he recorded six saves in eight appearances, and overall, the Twins are 20-8 when he toes the rubber this year.
• Duran, who is in his fourth Major League season, recorded at least one strikeout in each of his appearances in May, and has recorded a strikeout in each of his last 16 appearances dating back to April 29th at Cleveland. It is the longest streak of his career and the 17th streak of at least 16 games in Twins’ history (since 1961). Duran
has at least one strikeout in 25 of his 28 appearances this season, marking the most games with a strikeout in the Majors. He is the eighth pitcher in Twins’ history to appear in at least 15 games in a calendar month and register at least 20 strikeouts, becoming the first since Joe Nathan in September/October 2009 (20 SO in 16 app).
• The right-hander has not allowed a home run since June 21, 2024 against the Athletics, and his 58.2 homerless innings streak is the second-longest active streak in the Majors, trailing only Cleveland’s Cade Smith (68.2 IP). The streak spans 62 games, which is the fifth-longest in Twins’ history by appearances.
• The flamethrower has thrown 102 pitches over 100.0 MPH this season, the third-most in the Majors behind Mason Miller’s 142 pitches of at least 100.0 MPH and Hunter Greene’s 113 pitches. Since his debut in 2022, Duran’s 1,223 career pitches over 100.0 MPH are the most in the Majors, followed by Jordan Hicks’ 772 pitches.
Others receiving votes for NL Reliever of the Month included Randy Rodríguez (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 12 G, 13.0 IP, 5 H, 0 HR, 3 BB, 20 SO) and Camilo Doval (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 11 G, 1-for-1 SV, 10.2 IP, 3 H, 0 HR, 4 BB, 12 SO) of the San Francisco Giants; Ryan Helsley (1-0, 2.45 ERA, 11 G, 9-for-9 SV, 11.0 IP, 11 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 13 SO) of the St. Louis Cardinals; Trevor Megill (0.90 ERA, 11 G, 7-for-7 SV, 10.0 IP, 6 H, 0 HR, 6 BB, 9 SO) of the Milwaukee Brewers; Brad Keller (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 13 G, 14.2 IP, 8 H, 0 HR, 2 BB, 10 SO) and Daniel Palencia (0-1, 1.50 ERA, 12 G, 5-for-6 SV, 12.0 IP, 0 HR, 3 BB, 15 SO) of the Chicago Cubs; Kyle Finnegan (2.00 ERA, 9 G, 7-for-8 SV, 9.0 IP, 8 H, 0 HR, 1 BB, 5 SO) and Cole Henry (0.00 ERA, 12 G, 14.0 IP, 3 H, 0 HR, 6 BB, 11 SO) of the Washington Nationals; Ronny Henriquez (2-0, 1.26 ERA, 13 G, 1-for-2 SV, 14.1 IP, 7 H, 1 HR, 4 BB, 22 SO) of the Miami Marlins; and Jordan Romano (2.53 ERA, 11 G, 6-for-6 SV, 10.2 IP, 7 H, 1 HR, 5 BB, 17 SO) of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Others receiving votes for AL Reliever of the Month included Emmanuel Clase (0.84 ERA, 11 G, 7-for-7 SV, 10.2 IP, 5 H, 0 HR, 2 BB, 10 SO) of the Cleveland Guardians; Carlos Estévez (1-0, 0.87 ERA, 10 G, 7-for-7 SV, 10.1 IP, 9 H, 0 HR, 1 BB, 10 SO) of the Kansas City Royals; Yariel Rodríguez (0.53 ERA, 13 G, 17.0 IP, 6 H, 0 HR, 3 BB, 18 SO) and Brendon Little (3-0, 0.00 ERA, 12 G, 13.1 IP, 6 H, 0 HR, 7 BB, 16 SO) of the Toronto Blue Jays; Duran’s bullpen mate, Griffin Jax (1-0, 1.32 ERA, 14 G, 13.2 IP, 10 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 21 SO); Andrés Muñoz (2.79 ERA, 10 G, 6-for-9 SV, 9.2 IP, 7 H, 1 HR, 2 BB, 12 SO) of the Seattle Mariners; and Josh Hader (1.00 ERA, 9 G, 6-for-6 SV, 9.0 IP, 4 H, 1 HR, 3 BB, 15 SO) of the Houston Astros.