Potential NY Mets free agent is so unstoppable, he might have to test the market

There’s a certain knot in the stomach when your team doesn’t have a closer you can trust. When you have someone as unstoppable as Edwin Diaz, it’s easy to relax when the New York Mets go into a game late with a lead. Diaz has been a worthy All-Star this season with an ongoing and unbelievable stretch dating back to April 22.

The odd part of it is, even with a 1.66 ERA and 19 saves in 20 tries, Diaz has been far from a focal point of the Mets’ success. We’ve come to almost take him for granted. There was a time earlier this season when the Mets bullpen was fortified. For well over a month, it’s a tightrope walk until he gets the ball.

Diaz providing the Mets with security late in games can be the difference between winning a championship or not. Based on how well he has pitched, Diaz may be giving himself no choice but to opt out of his contract at the end of the season.

Edwin Diaz is pitching so well he might have to force the Mets to pay him more

The structure of Diaz’s contract actually has him taking a pay cut in the coming years. He can make $18.5 million in 2026 and 2027 each with a team option for $20.4 million in 2028. Looking ahead, the team option probably has a lot to do with where the team is at. If a $20.4 million closer is the difference, they’d pick it up without a second thought. It would require only a $1 million buyout if they choose to let him walk.

In the immediacy, it’s on Diaz to decide whether to test the free agent waters or not. Josh Hader received a massive contract from the Houston Astros worth $95 million when he became available. There aren’t too many other closers to compare them to financially. Diaz’s deal broke records. Hader’s set a couple more.

On one hand, the Mets pride themselves on developing pitching. David Stearns operates in a way that makes it seem as if he’d rather gloat about finding a diamond in the rough rather than signing the best free agent pitcher available. It’s far from the truth, proven easily by the record-setting contract with Juan Soto. We can’t even use the 2022 trade of Hader from the Milwaukee Brewers to the San Diego Padres beneath Stearns’ guidance as any indication of what he believes. That was less about the player, more about ownership’s unwillingness to pay him long-term.

It may be difficult for Diaz to earn an AAV much higher than what he’s getting right now, but years of guaranteed cash could always be his preference. The fluke injury that sidelined him for all of 2023 seemed to leave a scar. For parts of 2024, he was skittish. 

When Diaz last approached free agency, the Mets were able to come to terms with him before he officially filed to look for deals elsewhere. The positive relationship can hopefully leave the door open for any discussions about throwing out the current deal and inking a new one. At minimum, the Mets should consider guaranteeing the next two seasons with a slight bump in salary. Beyond 2028, they should remain cautious.