2 acceptable Edwin Diaz replacements, and 1 to avoid like the plague for the NY Mets

For the past six years, the New York Mets have had one staple in their bullpen. His presence has been signaled by the unmistakable horns of Timmy Trumpets' "Narco," which has always been greeted by cheers and applause from the Mets' faithful. Edwin Diaz has been an All-Star and a fan favorite. He is currently a free agent, though, and plenty of sharks smell blood in the water.

The Mets are certainly still very much in the running to re-sign the star closer, but other big names are being floated as well. Among them are the Yankees, Braves, Phillies, and Rangers. Yes, there are a lot of hated foes on that list. The real threat, however, is out west in Los Angeles. The Dodgers, no strangers to expensive signings, appear to be the strongest bidder.

If the Dodgers do poach the lefty from the Mets, adoring fans will have to wipe their tears and look at plans B, C, and D. I'm going to go over two alternatives that the Mets should consider if they fail to re-sign Diaz, followed by one they should absolutely not.

Target- Raisel Iglesias

At first glance, this might seem dubious. After all, Iglesias is no spring chicken at age 35, and last year's numbers were a negative departure from his career norms. But when you dig a little deeper, it actually makes perfect sense for the Mets to take a swing.

Spotrac projects his market value to be a two-year contract worth $8.8 million in AAV. If the numbers are anywhere near that, it's a good deal. He comes at a slight discount due to his age and decline in face-value statistics. He also won't require a lengthy commitment. In addition to the money-saving and flexibility this allows, his actual performance last season isn't as bad as the numbers look.

His ERA+ finished at 3.21, his FIP finished at 3.31, and home runs per 9 finished at 1.1. These were all declines in performance from his previous season. Most of his struggles occurred from April through June, though. He finished the season incredibly strong. In 23.2 innings from the start of August to the end of September, he allowed just one earned run and zero home runs. During that time span, his ERA dropped from 4.62 to his final number of 3.21.

While the overall numbers don't look that great, he was actually one of the best pitchers in the world in recent months. The last time we saw him, he was absolutely rolling. And if the Braves are the team to steal Diaz, it'd be nice to get some immediate revenge.

Target- Robert Suarez

This is someone who comes at a heftier price tag, for good reason though. The 34-year-old righty has been rock solid throughout all four seasons of his career. But 2025 was a special one, as he saw career-bests in innings pitched, saves, FIP, WHIP, and strikeouts per 9. This isn't an easy task, given he's been good in all departments already.

Suarez made his second All-Star game last season, and he now finds himself primed for the biggest contract of his career. He will likely require approximately four years and $17 million annually, according to Spotrac valuations. This is a long commitment and a pretty penny for a reliever in his 30s. However, all the evidence points to Suarez being a legitimate star closer consistently. He led the entire league in saves with 40 in 2025, and aside from some missed innings due to injury in 2022 and 2023, he's really never had a bad season. He's been as consistent as can be.

He's also arguably the best reliever on the market outside of Edwin Diaz. If the Dodgers present Diaz an offer that even Uncle Stevie isn't willing to match or surpass, getting the next best thing is a great Plan B for David Stearns. In fact, you literally can't do any better than that.

Avoid- Devin Williams

Any Met fan who lives in the New York City Metropolitan area knows just how brutal the New York sports market can be to a player. And if you reside in that area, you likely know a lot of Yankees fans. If you were paying attention last season, Yankees fans weren't too pleased with a specific reliever who sits among the top of the food chain in free agency. He is Devin Williams, and under no circumstance should the Mets look to sign him.

For starters, Devin Williams is likely to demand a salary between $12 and $20 million. This represents a big difference from Spotrac's valuation of $5.7 million for a one-season commitment. He'll likely garner attention given his relatively young age, but the numbers don't tell the story of a great reliever in his prime. They tell the story of one going in the wrong direction.

In 2025, his hits per 9 skyrocketed from 4.2 to 6.5. His WHIP jumped from 0.969 to 1.129. His ERA+ nosedived from 338 to 85. And his WAR dropped from 1.4 to -0.3. It's hard to decline much worse than Williams did a season ago.

Additionally, I'm always skeptical of an athlete who struggles after transitioning from a smaller market to a big market, as Williams did going from Milwaukee to New York. I can't guarantee that was the root of his problems, but I wouldn't risk $12+ million on a guy who we literally just saw fail to live up to the hype in the big city.

As I've outlined, there are serviceable options to replace Edwin Diaz if the need arises. I hope the Mets don't get desperate. Taking a risk on Williams would reek of desperation to me.