Boston Red Sox’s Jake Diekman, who had colon removed, living healthy without medicine and couldn’t care less about closing

BOSTON — Jake Diekman was consuming a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as he sat in a chair in entrance of his locker within the Crimson Sox clubhouse at Fenway Park earlier than Saturday’s recreation.

“That’s good for you,” Diekman stated. “That’s on the spot power.”

Meet arguably essentially the most fascinating member of the 2022 Crimson Sox. The 6-foot-4, 208-pound left-handed reliever struck out sluggers Aaron Choose, Giancarlo Stanton and Joey Gallo so as with a one-run result in shut out Boston’s first win of the season at Yankee Stadium on April 10. He then advised a scrum of reporters he doesn’t actually give “two (expletive)” about being the nearer in essentially the most candid Crimson Sox postgame interview in a very long time.

Right here’s extra of a have a look at his persona: He describes himself as “an enormous Inexperienced Bay fan” — and he has advised his spouse Amanda, who was Miss Nebraska USA 2014, in the event that they ever have a son he want to title him “Favre.”

Diekman and Amanda have a 3 ½-year-old daughter Parker Billie whose center title honors Diekman’s greatest fan, his late mom Billie Jean Diekman, who died Feb. 4, 2007.

Diekman also has a tattoo on the left side of his chest that pays tribute to his mom and his nickname “Intestine It Out” inked on his wrist. It’s an acceptable nickname for a aid pitcher residing a wholesome life 5 years after medical doctors surgically eliminated his colon due to ulcerative colitis, a power inflammatory bowel illness.

Diekman understandably had no thought {that a} colon may very well be eliminated till his medical doctors advised him. Who would know?

“And so they did it!” he stated.

Boston signed the southpaw in March to a two-year, $8-million contract that additionally features a $4 million membership choice for 2024. To date, he has used his fastball/slider mixture to strike out seven of the 13 batters he has confronted (54% strikeout share). He hasn’t allowed an earned run in three innings. He has one save and three holds in 4 appearances.

He’s pitching effectively. However extra importantly, he’s feeling nice. He now not even takes drugs for his colitis and he’s capable of preserve an enormous food regimen, which in fact contains peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. What does he keep away from?

“Most likely like consuming a complete jar of salsa,” he stated, laughing. “Perhaps like a hot-(expletive) hen wing. As soon as they reversed it (the colostomy bag), and I used to be capable of begin introducing new meals, you discover out what sort of screws you up and what doesn’t. What sort of works for you.”

Dwelling with colitis

Diekman was first identified at 10 years outdated. Docs initially thought he was affected by water poisoning.

“That was not proper.”

He misplaced important weight throughout the 2016-17 offseason.

“After the ‘16 season, I went dwelling and this was earlier than Thanksgiving or one thing like that. It was around-ish there,” Diekman stated. “And I acquired tremendous sick. I acquired down to love 180, 185-ish. I used to be like, ‘I have to go determine what the hell is improper.’ They had been like, ‘Hey, we’ve put you on like each shot, each infusion, each capsule. There’s not a lot else we are able to do. We are able to strive a capsule or a distinct shot. That may work for six months however your physique would possibly simply shut it down after which we’re again to sq. one.’”

The medical doctors as an alternative instructed surgical procedure.

“So we sat on that for slightly bit,” Diekman stated. “I turned 30 Jan. 21. After which Jan. 25 I had a complete colectomy.”

A complete colectomy is the complete removing of the colon.

“And I had a (colostomy) bag for, I don’t know, like six months after that,” Diekman stated.

He established the “Intestine It Out Basis” which has a mission “to attach sufferers and caregivers via training and inspiration with a view to strengthen relationships and sources throughout the IBD (inflammatory bowel illness) neighborhood.”

“Ought to I be taking drugs? Perhaps,” he stated. “I used to be very lucky they had been capable of reverse the colostomy bag. However there’s some those that have it without end. I had it for like six months. I felt nice with it. I used to be throwing with it. I used to be throwing bullpens with it. I used to be very lucky as a result of they had been capable of reverse it. So that they introduced down my small gut.”

A blunt (and intense) postgame interview

Diekman’s eyes darted round at every reporter as he stood ready for them to ask extra questions.

He acted intense — like he wasn’t but completed pitching and was able to face the remainder of the Yankees lineup. It was the alternative of the calm demeanor he had earlier than the house opener when he sat again relaxed on the tarp and petted head groundskeeper David Mellor’s service canine.

Right here’s how the interview went:

He was first requested about coming via in such a giant state of affairs (one-run lead, Yankee Stadium, 40,108 followers, ESPN Sunday Evening Baseball), particularly with such harmful hitters on the plate. As a substitute of breaking down his method towards the 2 right-handed sluggers — Choose and Stanton in addition to the left-handed energy hitter, Gallo — he gave a easy response.

“It’s good to take the final recreation,” Diekman stated. “Now we have a contented flight. We’ll prepare for tomorrow.”

He paused for a second.

“Yeah,” he added.

He then obtained a query concerning the 11-pitch at-bat with Choose that ended with the power-hitter foul tipping a 94.7 mph fastball for strike three.

“Didn’t wish to stroll him. You don’t wish to put the primary man on. Simply continued to make pitches. However apart from that, simply hold attacking. I simply didn’t wish to stroll him.”

He was requested concerning the Crimson Sox not having a set nearer and if he felt perhaps his outing helped him get a deal with on the job.

“Probably not,” Diekman stated. “I’ve type of pitched all over the place. So like, if I can hold the rating the identical, both method we’re good.”

After a pause, he added, “I really feel like that’s the best factor to do as a reliever. Don’t fear about the place you go. Simply hold the rating the identical.”

He then was requested if he desires to be the nearer.

“I don’t actually give two (expletive),” he answered.

“Can I quote you on that?” MLB.com’s Ian Browne asked.

“Yeah, do it. I don’t actually care,” Diekman replied.

That was it. The interview was completed. Followers on Twitter cherished his reply to the nearer query, mentioning that’s precisely how they’d need their nearer to say.

So why doesn’t he give ‘two (expletive)’ about closing?

MassLive.com requested him Saturday why he couldn’t care much less about being the nearer.

“I’m 35,” Diekman stated. “I actually have by no means closed video games earlier than. I don’t actually care if I do or not. Yeah. I’ve by no means received the final recreation of the 12 months (World Sequence). Lots of people in right here have. Yeah, I don’t actually care.”

He has made 533 profession main league outings and recorded 15 saves. Seven of these saves got here for Oakland final 12 months.

“If I’m going in to pitch and I hold the rating the identical, I believe we’ll be good,” Diekman stated.

He pitches to win and pitches along with his mother in his thoughts and coronary heart. The tattoo on his chest has his mom’s title, the date she died, and an angel holding a baseball bat and carrying a glove.

“I take into consideration her on a regular basis,” Diekman stated.

His daughter Parker Billie reminds him of her.

“They appear equivalent,” Diekman stated.

One last vital query: Will Amanda let a attainable future son be named after Brett Favre?

“She doesn’t hate it,” Diekman stated, however he then added, “I believe if we ever have a boy, she’s going to axe that (title) actually fast.”

Associated Content material

Meet Matt Strahm: Boston Crimson Sox free agent signee is ‘a pack rat’ card collector who hasn’t had ‘legit’ haircut since July 1, 2017

Crimson Sox’s Kiké Hernández ‘greater than prepared to remain’ in Boston past 2022, says, ‘I do know I may be higher’

Boston Crimson Sox’s Alex Verdugo utilizing glove with Mexican flag colours throughout quest for Gold Glove; ‘It makes me consider my dad’

Chaim Bloom noticed Boston Crimson Sox commerce acquisition David Hamilton’s grand slam streaming Portland recreation in NY lodge room