It was shocking when Edwin Diaz left the Mets to sign a three-year deal with the Dodgers, since there hadn’t been any indication that Diaz didn’t want to return to New York.
And that he not only left, but did so for a term that matched what the Mets were offering, made things even more confounding.
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Now, we have an updated timeline of events.
Here’s how things went down, as reported by Jorge Castillo of ESPN:
Diaz had a three-year offer from the Dodgers and five-year offer from the Braves, but he wanted to wait for an offer from the Mets.
The Mets initially offered a three-year deal worth $66 million, with $21 million deferred over 10 years. Following negotiations between the two sides, the Mets amended the offer to add a $9 million signing bonus (which matched the one Diaz got from the Dodgers) and included $21 million deferred over 15 years instead of 10.
The issue, per Castillo, was that Diaz wanted the average annual value of his deal to be at least $20 million and for the contract have less deferred money over a shorter time frame. The Mets “refused” to meet those asks, the Dodgers sweetened their offer, and that was that.
New York Mets pitcher Edwin Daz (39) reacts after the final out of the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. / Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Taking the above into account, it’s easy to see why there was confusion after Diaz signed regarding whether the Mets got a chance to match the deal he accepted from the Dodgers.
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In effect, they reportedly rejected his demands that could’ve perhaps led to an immediate return to New York, resulting in Diaz choosing Los Angeles.
During his introductory news conference with the Dodgers last week, Diaz discussed his decision to leave.
“It wasn’t easy, wasn’t easy. I spent seven years in New York,” Diaz said. “They treat me really good, they treat me great. I chose the Dodgers because they are a winning organization. I’m looking to win and I think they have everything to win. Picking the Dodgers was pretty easy.”
With Diaz gone, the expectation is that the Mets will use the recently-signed Devin Williams as their closer in 2026.
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New York is still seeking bullpen help, and there are a number of intriguing options remaining on the free agent market — including Pete Fairbanks and Luke Weaver.
The Mets have also reportedly been discussing trade ideas with the Padres, with Mason Miller, Jeremiah Estrada, and Adrian Morejon‘s names among those that have come up.
