As offseason talk once again focuses on bullpen regret and an unresolved closer situation, the New York Mets are dealing with the fallout from Edwin Diaz's departure. Losing one of baseball's most potent late-inning arms to the Los Angeles Dodgers is a pivotal plot point for a team looking for consistency at the end of games as the 2026 season approaches.
The issue resurfaced after Mets legend and SNY analyst Ron Darling discussed it during a recent appearance on The Show, a baseball podcast hosted by The New York Post Sports' Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman. The conversation centered on the franchise’s most damaging free-agent decisions, with the closer arising as the clearest example of a move the organization wishes it could undo.
Heyman later shared the clip on X (formerly known as Twitter), highlighting Darling’s direct assessment of the situation and its long-term consequences.
“That’s the one they wish they had back,” Darling said.
Ron Darling on the Mets and Diaz: “That’s the one they wish they had back.” Darling joins Moose (Marc Malusis) and me to talk about where the Mets go from here”
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Spotify: https://t.co/qz0wdrOqAK pic.twitter.com/BJKbYXHZTX— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 14, 2026
The regret is rooted in timing. New York held the best record in baseball early in the 2025 season before a second-half collapse cost the team a playoff spot. That downturn weakened organizational confidence and made Díaz more inclined to seek long-term security elsewhere when free agency arrived.
Contract structure also played a central role. The Mets reportedly offered Díaz a three-year deal that fit their valuation model for closers. Díaz, however, prioritized stronger annual guarantees and long-term certainty. Los Angeles ultimately met those demands and landed the right-hander.
The results only intensified the frustration in New York. Diaz delivered a dominant 2025, posting a 1.63 ERA with 98 strikeouts across 66.1 innings, reaffirming his status as one of the game’s top closers.
Darling expanded on the situation during the podcast, noting how rigid valuation models can fall short with top-tier talent.
“I don’t think they’re wrong with a three-year contract for a closer,” Darling said. “But it became a four-year situation. If they had that to do over, they certainly would have brought Díaz back.”
As the Mets enter 2026 without a bullpen anchor, the departure of Diaz remains a lingering regret.
