A pair of major contract opt-outs for Mets players should push the team into "all-in" mode for 2025

Enjoy them while they last. Navigating the timing of contracts ending is one of the tougher tasks for MLB GMs and POBOs. The New York Mets have been going short term in recent seasons. The good news is they can escape certain deals. The bad is it creates a constant cycle of needing to replace them.

Before we know it the Mets will be on the verge of losing two major players who hold all of the power. After the 2025 season, Edwin Diaz and Kodai Senga each have opt out clauses in their contracts. The star closer and starter should already be viewed as strong candidates to opt out and back into free agency.

The 2025 Mets need to be all in again or risk wasting two of their best pitchers walking

Diaz will have two more winters of seeing how the relief pitcher market shapes up. Josh Hader can raise the market. It's hard to imagine too many other closers getting the kind of money Diaz did from the Mets. However, it might not be the AAV that's as important as the total value of the contract.

At the time when he can opt out, Diaz will be only 31. His deal with the Mets will include $18.5 million salaries in 2026 and 2027 as well as $20.4 million in 2028. That final year is a temp option. As long as Diaz remains one of the best closers in baseball, opting out is what makes the most sense for him. He’ll have two chances to decide to do so with the clause in his contract coming in consecutive years.

The far more obvious decision to opt out will come from Senga. The market for starting pitchers continues to grow. Senga's impressive rookie season is one he can build upon for a guaranteed deal closer, if not over $100 million.

When Senga can opt to re-enter free agency it’ll be before his age 33 season. It does require him to log at least 400 innings prior from 2023-2025. He had 166.1 as a rookie. It’s only a matter of staying healthy.

What does this mean for the Mets?

Rather than get to the point where the Mets are building something special for 2025 but not quite there, it’s important to get the job done prior to this pair needing to be re-signed or extended again. Nobody is irreplaceable. However, to inch closer to a championship in 2025 and see your stud closer depart along with an affordable starting pitcher after will deliver a blow.

The window for the Mets to win goes well beyond 2025. It’s not a must to do so with these two. But with each of these key players having an open door to leave after, it’s crucial to not wait around.