The New York Mets are currently entering a highly consequential offseason for the future direction of the franchise after a disastrous 2025 season that saw the team miss the playoffs altogether. This came after the team shelled out a record-breaking contract to free agent Juan Soto, and the Mets now have some decisions to make about how to turn this roster into a contender.
One thing New York will certainly want to do is hold onto closer Edwin Diaz, who put together another great season in 2025, who has opted out of the final two years of his contract and looks poised to test the open market.
Recently, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic broke down the Mets' thought process when it comes to a potential Diaz extension.
“President of baseball operations David Stearns, however, is known for his discipline. And the free-agent market is deep in late-inning relievers, from Devin Williams and Robert Suarez to Ryan Helsley and Pete Fairbanks to Luke Weaver and Raisel Iglesias,” they reported.
They also noted that “The deal he wants, according to a person briefed on his wishes, is essentially the same one the Mets gave him the last time,” which was for five years, $102 million.
“…imagine Díaz on the Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers or Atlanta Braves, among other clubs. Difference-makers of his caliber are difficult to find,” they concluded.
A big decision for the Mets
The Mets certainly would not like to have Diaz walk out the door this free agency period and lose him for nothing. But for a team that already has so much salary committed elsewhere, most of which backfired this past season, it's easy to see why they might want to devote those resources toward finding more talent in other positions of need.
Whatever direction they choose, Mets fans will certainly be hoping that the team is able to turn things around next year and recapture the momentum of their 2024 playoff run.
