Edwin Díaz Opts Out of Mets Contract, Re-Enters Free Agency
NEW YORK – Edwin Díaz has opted out of his contract with the New York mets, becoming a free agent, as first reported by MLBtraderumors.com. the decision comes after a four-year stint with the Mets where he established himself as one of baseball’s premier closers.
Díaz, 31, is entering a competitive market for relief pitching alongside fellow high-leverage arms like Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley, and Raisel Iglesias. His departure leaves a void at the closer position for the mets, though the team has internal options to consider. Díaz originally joined the Mets in a December 2018 trade with the Seattle Mariners,where he had previously recorded a league-leading 57 saves in 2018.
During his time in New York, Díaz accumulated 96 saves across four seasons. While his initial campaign in 2019 was challenging, posting a 5.59 ERA, his underlying metrics (3.22 xERA, 3.07 xFIP) indicated stronger performance.He rebounded to become a dominant closer, saving exactly 32 games in both 2021 and 2022. Díaz signed a multi-year deal in his first experience with free agency,but ultimately chose to test the market again.
The Mets have A.J. Minter, who is exercising his player option to remain with the team, and Adbert Alzolay, who saved 22 games for the cubs in 2023 before undergoing Tommy John surgery, as potential replacements. However, Alzolay missed the entire 2025 season recovering from the procedure. Díaz’s decision considerably impacts the Mets’ offseason plans and could reshape the landscape of the relief pitcher market.
