Edwin Diaz’s Future with the Mets
Edwin Diaz’s departure from the Mets may not leave them completely empty-handed, although it will certainly have an impact.
On Thursday, the Mets extended a qualifying offer to their closer, which is widely expected to be declined.
Should Diaz sign with another team, the Mets would earn a compensatory draft pick following the fourth round next year.
It’s nearly a given that Diaz will reject the one-year, $22,025,000 offer, especially after opting out of the last two years of his contract worth around $37 million. This move could slightly diminish his market appeal, particularly for teams that would still have to give up draft capital to sign him.
However, the Mets could still be in the running for him. They still believe in his abilities, especially after he returned to form last season, and their bullpen options are pretty limited at the moment.
Diaz signed a lucrative five-year deal worth $102 million after the 2022 season but missed all of 2023 due to a ruptured patella tendon. His last full season was 2024, where he logged 24 saves, a 3.52 ERA, and, honestly, his performance didn’t fully reflect his elite status from previous years, where he had a 1.63 ERA and 28 saves.
This past season was undoubtedly easier for him to opt out with strong numbers from his age-31 season.
If he does leave, the Mets don’t currently have an obvious replacement ready to step in. AJ Minter, another pitcher, has chosen to stay with his contract and is recovering from recent surgery.
Brooks Lally is returning, but other potential options like Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rodgers, Gregory Soto, and Ryne Stanek are all free agents now.
Meanwhile, the Mets have made some roster adjustments, placing Jose Castillo and Ji Hwang Bae on waivers. Castillo, who has been bounced around a bit, particularly pitched well despite being designated for assignment multiple times. Initially acquired from the Orioles, he had a 2.35 ERA over 16 games.
Bae, who had a lackluster major league career, still did well in the minors last season, putting up an .805 OPS with 23 stolen bases.
In addition to these roster moves, the Mets are also assembling a new coaching staff.
Reports suggest they’re looking to hire Tim Leiper as the new third base coach. He previously held that position for the Padres and has a history with the Mets, having begun his coaching career there.
Leiper will be stepping in for Mike Sarbaugh, who was one of many staff members to leave after a rough season that didn’t see the Mets make the playoffs.
Along with Leiper, Jeff Albert is expected to join as the hitting director, with Troy Snitker taking on the role of hitting coach. They are also likely to bring in Justin Willard as the pitching coach.
Some bright spots in a disappointing season were Pete Alonso and Juan Soto, who were awarded National League Silver Slugger honors. It’s particularly noteworthy for Alonso, who hit 38 home runs and posted an .871 OPS, marking a return to form since his rookie season. Soto, on the other hand, secured his sixth time winning this title, racking up 43 home runs, 38 stolen bases, and a .921 OPS.
Francisco Lindor was also in the running but fell short to Arizona’s Gerardo Perdomo at shortstop.
In a different vein, infielder Nick Madrigal, after signing a split contract last winter, has opted for free agency following a shoulder injury in spring training.
Also worth noting, left-hander Nate Lavender, taken by the Rays in last year’s Rule 5 draft, has been designated for assignment after spending the entire previous season on the disabled list. If he clears waivers, this could open a slot for relief pitching for the Mets.
