2 NY Mets bullpen plans that include Edwin Diaz, 1 that doesn't

The New York Mets have a variety of needs that need to be solved in order to get back on track in 2026, but one of the most important is how they deal with their bullpen.

The club's relievers managed a collective 3.96 ERA in 2025, coming in exactly league-average at 15th in the league. That might not make the need seem dire, but with Edwin Diaz and his 1.63 ERA hitting the open market, that performance suddenly looks a lot worse even if everything else stays the same.

The Mets would like to retain Diaz, but they'll face several threats in their path to reunion. At the same time, a number of suitable, if not quite as dominant, replacements exist.

Three different bullpen scenarios that could make sense for the Mets in 2026

The "super bullpen option" including Edwin Diaz

First, there are some implications here. Both Clay Holmes and David Peterson landing in the bullpen means that the Mets completely overhauled the starting rotation amid the Kodai Senga trade rumors.

Next, this group features four guys with ninth-inning experience, with Diaz, Devin Williams, Clay Holmes, and Kyle Finnegan all with some success in the past closing out games. Williams is the wild card here. His 2025 season went off the rails, leading some to believe that he can't handle New York; however, his peripherals were still excellent. There's a reason the Mets, along with seemingly half the league, are interested in him. David Stearns knows him well, so if he's truly interested, then it bodes well for a rebound.

The potential here is best bullpen in the league territory, but it won't come cheap, and that could have implications for other parts of the roster.

The "run-it-back, but better this time" option

Everything in its right place is the motto here. While this is the run-it-back option, it features some guys who weren't at the Mets' disposal for chunks of 2025.

First is A.J. Minter. Minter's injury was particularly devastating, as the former Atlanta Brave looked absolutely dominant with a 31.8% strikeout rate, 1.64 ERA, and 1.95 FIP in just 11 innings of work before he went down.

Second, we see Clay Holmes, through no fault of his own, shift from the rotation to a high-leverage role. This is more a byproduct of having too many average-ish starters, the need for an ace, and his proven track record in the late innings coming to a head to motivate the move.

Lastly, we see Adbert Alzolay make his Mets debut. Recovering from Tommy John when he signed with the club last offseason, he was a sneaky stash for Stearns. His 2023 campaign saw him spend a large swath of the season closing games for the Chicago Cubs with an impressive 2.67 ERA and respectable 9.42 K/9.

The "picking up the pieces after Edwin Diaz leaves" option

In this scenario, Diaz lands his $100-ish million contract, and the Mets decide it's too rich to match. The pivot here is Pete Fairbanks, who is similar to the next best option in Robert Suarez, but younger and cheaper.

Devin Williams is here again, serving as the setup man but also adding extra ninth-inning insurance, as does Finnegan.

One of the constants is Tyler Rogers. His rubber arm has allowed him to be a true workhorse, logging at least 70 innings in each of the last five seasons. While most relievers are volatile, his baseline has been incredibly solid as well, with a 3.57 ERA or better in all five of those seasons, and a sub-3 ERA in three of them, including the last two seasons.

Losing Diaz hurts, but the additions here give the Mets enough of a ceiling and a floor to still run out a top unit, even if they lose the superstar closer. Meanwhile, the cost savings can lead to high-end additions in the rotation, as well as the ability to land a top-tier bat like Cody Bellinger, Kazuma Okamoto, or perhaps an out-of-the-blue pivot to Alex Bregman in the infield.