We covered Pete Alonso’s free agent situation last week, but now it’s time look at the Mets’ other big-name free agent in Edwin Díaz.
The three-time All-Star closer is coming off another excellent season, but what sort of long-term commitment will teams be willing to give to a relief pitcher who turns 32 before Opening Day? Can anyone outbid the Mets for his services?
Stars like Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso, and Cody Bellinger join headliners Kyle Tucker, Dylan Cease, and Bo Bichette in a 2025–26 MLB free agent class loaded with impact bats and arms.
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Díaz in Review
Díaz signed a record-breaking five-year, $102 million extension with the Mets in November of 2022 before tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee while celebrating a win for Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic in March of 2023. While he navigated an up-and-down year upon his return in 2024, he regained his top-tier closer form this past season while posing a 1.63 ERA with 28 saves.
2025 (ranks among all pitchers min. 60 IP)
| ERA | 1.63 | 2nd |
| BAA | .162 | 5th (tied) |
| K% | 38% | 3rd |
| SwStr% | 18% | 4th |
Diaz was hurt by the home run ball at times in 2024, surrendering seven of them in just 53 2/3 innings, but he gave up just four homers in 66 1/3 innings in 2025. A big key was getting opposing batters to put the ball on the ground more often. His ground ball rate of 48.4 percent was the highest of his career, surpassing the 46.9 percent mark he posted during his otherworldly season in 2022.
It’s no slight on the current version of Díaz to say that the aforementioned 2022 season is likely to be the peak of his career. Striking out half of the batters you face is an incredibly difficult feat to replicate. Still, Diaz has proven himself as an elite closer, with no clear signs of slowing down.
Market Outlook
Díaz recently opted out of the final two years and $38 million in his contract with the Mets in order to try his luck in free agency. Not surprisingly, the Mets extended him a one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer, which will secure them draft pick compensation if Díaz decides to sign with another team.
This was an opportune time for Díaz to utilize his opt-out, as he’s the clear top closer during an offseason where a number of high-spending teams have questions in the role. Even if Díaz ends up staying put, his favorable position in this market will force the Mets to pay up.
In looking at contracts to relievers since Diaz’s five-year, $102 million deal in November of 2022, Josh Hader signed a five-year, $95 million contract ($19M AAV) with the Astros in January of 2024 before Tanner Scott landed a four-year, $72 million contract ($18M AAV) with the Dodgers last January.
It’s unlikely that Díaz will get another five-year contract, but four years with superior AAVs to Hader and Scott sounds like a reasonable expectation.
As for alternatives in the market, Pete Fairbanks hit free agency last week after the Rays declined a very reasonable $11 million club option on him for 2026. He joins a group of free agent closers which also includes Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, Robert Suarez, Raisel Iglesias, Kenley Jansen, and Kyle Finnegan.
Best Fits
Mets: The bidding will probably go higher than the Mets would like, but look for them to do everything they can to retain Díaz. They are going to have to do a lot more than re-sign Díaz to improve upon a disappointing 2025 season, but he was the least of their problems this year. No need to mess with what’s working.
Dodgers: Can the rich keep getting richer? Díaz is a logical fit for a team who didn’t get quite what they were hoping for in Tanner Scott, but would they really make major financial commitments to relievers in back-to-back offseasons?
Blue Jays: The chatter has already begun about Jeff Hoffman’s place as the Blue Jays’ closer, so exploring Díaz makes a lot of sense. Of course, the club has other priorities, including their efforts to retain their homegrown shortstop.
Cubs: The Cubs might not be able to hang around in the bidding for Kyle Tucker, so they could pivot to address multiple areas of need. The hard-throwing Daniel Palencia established himself as a late-inning weapon for Chicago this past season, but adding Díaz would make this a dynamic and dominant duo to finish off games.
Yankees: Devin Williams wasn’t the lockdown closer the Yankees expected this past season, but their acquisition of David Bednar was an unquestioned success, as he posted a 2.19 ERA with 10 saves in 22 regular season appearances before notching two more saves with a 1.50 ERA over five postseason appearances. Bednar remains under team control for 2026. Outbidding the crosstown Mets would be a bonus, but a potential pursuit of Díaz could be more of a luxury.
Giants: The Giants traded Camilo Doval to the Yankees at the deadline this year and 2025 breakout Randy Rodriguez underwent Tommy John surgery in September, leaving Ryan Walker at the top of the depth chart. How do Buster Posey and company feel about that after Walker saw declines across the board this past season?
🔮 Contract Prediction
As stated above, five years could be a stretch for Díaz given his age. If he gets that sort of offer, he’ll likely jump at it, whether it’s with the Mets or someone else. The most logical scenario, though, is that he’ll get two years tacked on to the two years he opted out on with the Mets. He should also beat the $20.4 million AAV from his previous deal. As opposed to the Alonso situation, it’s hard to believe the deep-pocketed Mets will let Díaz get away.
Mets: Four years, $82 million
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