Steve Cohen is closer to his casino dream, 3 biggest gambles the NY Mets can make

Logical fits for the Mets, each comes at a gamble.
Boston Red Sox v Baltimore Orioles
Boston Red Sox v Baltimore Orioles | G Fiume/GettyImages
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Bullpen: Devin Williams to replace Edwin Diaz

This would be an immediately unpopular choice for the Mets to save a few dollars and go with Devin Williams over Edwin Diaz. Despite a poor year with the New York Yankees where he lost the closer job, Williams was a popular free agent until his time as a MLB nomad came to a close Monday night by agreeing to a three-year deal with the Mets. Interestingly, it hasn't ruled out the possibility of a Diaz return.

The idea of pairing him up with Diaz in the bullpen is inconceivable because of the immense cost. Even with Cohen and his slot machine money coming in a few years, it would be an outrageous result for the coming years ahead to have two of the best in the back of the bullpen earning a combined total that some teams don't.

It would be a gamble to pass on Diaz altogether especially when the hangup will be the number of years he’ll receive. To choose Williams, a player Mets fans know best for surrendering the home run in the 2024 Wild Card Series to Pete Alonso, would be a gamble with the fans. On the field, it’s also asking a player who had a shaky first season the closer’s role for the other New York team to do better in a different borough.

Williams has potential to be excellent again. Teams aren’t shy about buying into players like him. The Baltimore Orioles wasted little time signing Ryan Helsley to a deal that could extend for two seasons while paying him $28 million.

Naming anyone other than Diaz to be the closer next year is an unsafe bet because of how much better he is than the rest of the choices. If Williams is indeed a setup man with a plan to add Diaz (or another closer) to the mix, all bets are off for anything the Mets do next.

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