The departure of Edwin Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers isn’t just a roster change; it is a cold, hard slap in the face that exposes exactly where the New York Mets stand in the National League hierarchy.
While fans might scream about loyalty, the reality is that the Mets never truly had a chance to retain their star closer once the back-to-back World Series champions came calling with a three-year, $69 million check. The front office reportedly offered just $1 million less per year than Los Angeles, but Diaz didn’t even give New York the courtesy of a final counteroffer, choosing instead to chase history with a juggernaut rather than stay in Queens.
What haunts the Mets most isn’t the money—it’s the fact that they were fighting a war on two fronts. The Atlanta Braves were reportedly lurking with a five-year offer, a contract length the Mets refused to match for a reliever, regardless of how dominant he is.
The reality is, watching Diaz go to the Dodgers is the worst of two evils compared to seeing him close out games for a division rival in Atlanta.
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The $18 Million Consolation Prize
David Stearns didn’t wait to be left at the altar, pivoting quickly to sign former Yankee closer Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million deal.
On paper, the move looks like shrewd asset management: the Mets saved $18 million in total value and avoided the record-breaking annual average value that Diaz commanded. However, anyone who has watched the ninth inning knows that “shrewd” doesn’t always translate to “safe,” and Williams brings a level of volatility that Diaz had largely eliminated from his game.
Williams is a two-time Reliever of the Year with a devastating changeup, but replacing Diaz’s overpowering 100 mph heat with a finesse-based arsenal is a significant stylistic shift. The Mets are betting that $17 million a year buys them 90% of Diaz’s production, but in the postseason, that missing 10% is often the difference between a parade and a press conference explaining what went wrong.
A Blow to the Sport, Not Just the Mets
Letting the Dodgers monopolize elite talent is becoming a crisis for the competitive balance of baseball, and Diaz is just the latest example. He looked at the landscape and decided that joining a super-team was more appealing than being the savior in New York, a decision that speaks volumes about the current state of the Mets’ project. Losing him stings, but watching him likely dominate October in Dodger blue while the Mets count their $18 million in savings will be the ultimate salt in the wound.
Looking Ahead: The Pressure is on Williams
The spotlight now shifts entirely to Devin Williams, who has the unenviable task of replacing the best closer in franchise history. If he falters early, the boos at Citi Field will be deafening, and the front office’s decision to draw a line in the sand with Diaz will be scrutinized with every blown save. The trumpets are gone, and now the Mets have to prove they can win without the music.