With Edwin Diaz a free agent and the Dodgers searching for a high-end reliever, it seemed they might be a big threat to lure him away from the Mets.
Maybe not.
While the Dodgers are indeed seeking a jolt for their bullpen, they could be deterred by the fact that Diaz has a qualifying offer attached to him, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
Per Ardaya, with the Dodgers already owing draft penalties due to exceeding the luxury tax, it could "dissuade" them and other teams in similar situations from making a run at Diaz.
According to The Athletic, Los Angeles has made free agent reliever Devin Williams a target. Williams, who spent last season with the Yankees after being acquired from the Brewers via trade, was eyed by the Dodgers before that deal.
Jon Heyman of The New York Post also reported on Diaz and the Dodgers, noting that "they may not be a big player" for him.
Per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, the contract Diaz is seeking is "essentially the same one" the Mets gave him after the 2022 season.
That deal was worth five years and $102 million.
Speaking on Tuesday at the GM Meetings, Mets president of baseball operationsDavid Stearnsdiscussed Diaz's future.
"We love both Pete [Alonso] and Edwin," Stearns said. "They've been great representatives of the organization. We'd love to have them both back. At this stage of the offseason, it’s really tough to predict any outcomes, but certainly, we would love to have both those guys back."
Diaz, who will be entering his age-32 season in 2026, is coming off a year where he was one of the best and most dominant relievers in baseball. He had a 1.63 ERA (2.28 FIP) and 0.87 WHIP with 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings.
Diaz ranked in the 99th percentile this past season when it came to xERA, xBA, whiff percentage, and strikeout percentage, via Baseball Savant. He was in the 89th percentile or better in fastball velocity, barrel percentage, and extension. His ground ball rate, chase percentage, and the average exit velocity against him all graded out well above average.
Batters hit .133 with a .200 slugging percentage against Diaz's fastball in 2025, while hitting .179 with a .269 slugging percentage against his slider.
In addition to Diaz's dominance and familiarity with (and ability to succeed in) New York is the fact that the Mets don't have an internal replacement for him. And there are no better options on the free agent market.
