Edwin Diaz, Brandon Nimmo will stand out in their free agent class

The New York Mets will have a lot of major free agent decisions to make this offseason. Two of those include Brandon Nimmo and Edwin Diaz. The pair couldn’t be much different yet they do have one thing in common aside from their employer.

Diaz will enter a free agent market, with any luck, as one of the best closers in the game. He has done well for the Mets early on this year and fans have their fingers crossed that it continues.

Nimmo enters free agency for the first time in his career as an outfielder who has turned into a good fielder in center field to match with his superior OBP game. A leadoff hitter any team should want patrolling their outfield, the Mets will have a lot of competition for him regardless of his health status.

The Mets have an easy free agent decision with Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo

Assuming neither player suddenly collapses this year or does anything else to ruin his free agent stock, Diaz and Nimmo would have plenty of suitors. Many of the other closers hitting the open market this offseason are older than Diaz and a little more worn-down. Someone like Kenley Jansen might have to continue to settle for one-year deals until he hangs up his cleats for good. At his age, Diaz should easily secure a multi-year contract near one of the best in MLB history.

The story is similar for Nimmo. As the Mets learned this offseason, there wasn’t much out there in center field. They did sign the best available player for the position when they inked Starling Marte to a deal. However, they have moved forward with Nimmo in center and Marte over in right. Center fielders just aren’t as available as they were in the past. The supply has dried up. When Nimmo becomes available, he should be the best one out there.

There’s no question as to what the Mets should do with both of these guys. They should extend them as soon as possible. Billy Eppler should work tirelessly to make sure neither even gets to free agency. Once they do, that’s when the Mets risk losing both.

At this stage, both players probably will hit the open market. This doesn’t take away the Mets’ chances at re-signing either. They have a leg-up on the competition due to the familiarity already in place.

A good closer is hard to find and the same is true for a center fielder capable of doing all of the things Nimmo can.