Edwin Diaz pitching toward a $100 million contract

Edwin Diaz is going to cost how much? Nobody is richer than New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and yet even he isn’t so sure there is a lifetime contract in Diaz’s future.

But a lifetime contract isn’t what it will take to keep Diaz in Flushing. With the way he has pitched combined with his age, the Mets could still be looking at a couple of years but more importantly a lot of dollars.

Mets closer Edwin Diaz may have already earned himself a $100 million contract

It’s no longer ridiculous for a player to get $100 million on the open market. For some performing at such a high level as Diaz, with age working to his advantage as well, it might be the bare minimum the Mets or someone else would be willing to pay him.

After his atrocious 2019 season with the club, Diaz has been quite spectacular. The expectations he came to New York with might have been too high if only because he managed to already be a star as a member of the Seattle Mariners. Not too many closers develop as quickly as he did. Many fall into the role a little later on.

Whatever it is, Diaz is throwing heat and striking out batters like there’s a quota he has to cover for two other relievers. Only months before his first dip into free agency, everything is going Diaz’s way.

Reasonably, a five-year $100 million contract could be on its way to his bank account. It would overtake the $86 million deal Aroldis Chapman signed with the New York Yankees. This might strike some fear in Mets fans because of how Chapman’s career has declined. That’s the tricky thing about multi-year deals. Many long signings turn out this way.

Whether it’s for life or for five or six years with an opt-out included, Mets fans are ready to invite Diaz to stay. The match seems like a good one already. Fans are on his side. He has figured out New York. There’s money available.

Diaz’s continued success in the regular season and perhaps beyond will better his chances of acquiring the most lucrative contract a relief pitcher ever has in the sport.