First major Mets free agent signing of the offseason prediction

The New York Mets are heading into what will possibly be the biggest offseason in their franchise’s history. They have a lot of contracts coming off the books, including some big names. The decisions on who to retain and who to let walk will be hard. Some moves may become very unpopular with the fanbase.

On top of that, the free agent class has some top names that Billy Eppler should convince Steve Cohen to open the wallet for. 

The big question that I’ve been trying to answer is who will be the first domino to fall? Who will the Mets turn to to get this offseason started on the right track as the Mets look to head back to the postseason in 2023? After much thought, only one name came to mind and it’s not who you think.

Edwin Diaz will be the first major free agent signing the New York Mets make this offseason. 

Diaz will probably become the highest-paid closer in all of baseball and it will all be well-earned. He had a career year in 2022 and his strikeout totals were out of this world.

I’ll admit at the beginning of last season I was hoping for the Mets to trade Diaz. At that point, he had overcome his brutal introduction to New York in 2019 and put up two solid campaigns in 2020 and 2021. However, I still wasn’t convinced. I didn’t think that he could overcome the bright lights of New York on a consistent basis, but boy was I proven wrong.

I don’t mind eating crow when I’m wrong and did I have a plate full when it came to Diaz. He became a key cog in the success that led the Mets to 101 wins, 2nd most in franchise history during the regular season.

Diaz's success led to him becoming not only the best closer in baseball but the best overall reliever as well. He pitched so well that at one point there was a thought that maybe he should get some votes for the Cy Young and even the MVP award.

How Diaz was able to handle the bright lights of Queens will always be so impressive to me. He handled everything thrown at him with so much class and dignity. Every time Mets manager, Buck Showalter, called on Diaz's number he delivered. No matter what the situation, with the pressure at its highest, he came through in the clutch.

Diaz had everything going for him this season. He had the adrenaline from this great Mets fanbase. He had a solid walk-up song that became so popular that the artist played it live before he came in to pitch. How many closers can say they have had the opportunity to experience something as cool as that?

Edwin Diaz, who is also known by his nickname “Sugar,” expressed interest in returning to New York and hoped to have a contract signed pretty quickly.

I think the Mets will adhere to these demands and get a deal done whether before or right after the World Series. You can’t let a man of Diaz's talents get away. Diaz will be needed for the Mets to finally reach their goal of winning a World Series in the not-to-distant future.