In an expected move, the Mets have extended a qualifying offer to free agent closer Edwin Diaz.
This year’s qualifying offer is set at $22.025 million, and any player who accepts the offer would return to their 2025 team on a one-year deal worth that much. If a player rejects the qualifying offer and signs with a new team, his original team would receive draft compensation.
Also of note, players can only receive a qualifying offer once, meaning Pete Alonso (who was extended the QO last offseason) is not eligible for one this time around.
Diaz, who opted out of his contract earlier this offseason, will surely decline the QO, as he’s likely to land a lucrative multi-year deal, either with the Mets or elsewhere. Diaz made $21.155 million last season, and he’ll be in for a decent raise on whatever his next contract turns out to be.
Originally acquired by the Mets in a trade with Seattle ahead of the 2019 season, Diaz’s Mets tenure got off to a rocky start, as he posted a 5.59 ERA in 2019, but he’s developed into one of the most dominating relievers in baseball ever since.
An All-Star in 2022 and 2025, Diaz has a 2.93 overall ERA as a Met, and his 144 saves are the third most in team history.
Coming off another strong season in which he pitched to a 1.63 ERA, Diaz said after the season finale that if he did indeed opt out of his contract, he’d love to stay with the Mets on a new deal.
"Yeah, of course,” Diaz responded when asked if he’d want to return to the Mets. "I love this organization. They treat me really, really good. My family, everything. If I decide to opt out, I would love to come back."
All players who receive the qualifying offer this offseason have until Nov. 18 to decide whether or not to accept it.
