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Edwin Diaz is going to become a free agent if the New York Mets let him. The last time he was headed toward the open market, the two sides came to terms on a new deal after the 2022 season. He never actually got to free agency with the Mets willing to give him a record contract before letting anyone else.
Could they do the same thing this time?
The Mets have to consider the alternatives, even if it isn’t a part of the actual plan. Diaz feels necessary for the team’s success in 2026 and beyond with no reason to believe he can’t continue to be the best closer in baseball. If not him, what else could they possibly do in the closer spot for the coming year? Let’s look at some realistic alternatives.
1) A.J. Minter
Mild closing experience, A.J. Minter would be the first player elevated on the proverbial depth chart to become the closer with Diaz out of the picture. His 36 career saves came scattered throughout his career with the Atlanta Braves. His 15 in 2018 during what was his first full MLB season is the most he has accumulated. He had another 10 in 2023.
The appeal of having Minter as the closer feels purely financial. Your highest paid reliever being the last line of defense makes sense. It doesn’t always work that way for every team, depending on how seasoned your closer happens to be. Minter is set to make $11 million next year. It’s no pocket change even if it’s significantly lower than the AAV Diaz should get.
The downside is the Mets lose one of their top setup man options which would need to be discovered elsewhere. They’d probably need to have three lefty relievers with Brooks Raley being the main one Carlos Mendoza turns to for situational purposes. Three lefties aren’t bad to have. However, with the Mets possibly in need of a sixth starter on a regular basis, it could become problematic.
Minter is a fine emergency closer. He’s far too inexperienced in the role to sell it to fans. The next guy, however, has as much experience in the role as just about anyone.