Edwin Díaz had options this offseason-plenty of them, in fact. But in the end, the All-Star closer chose Hollywood, agreeing to a three-year, $69 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 7. That move sent ripples through the league, not just because of the price tag, but because of who was in the mix and what it says about the shifting landscape in New York and beyond.
According to reports, Díaz wasn’t short on suitors. The Atlanta Braves, always aggressive when it comes to bullpen upgrades, reportedly made a strong push with a five-year offer.
That’s significant-five years for a closer is a big swing, and it shows just how much Atlanta valued Díaz’s elite late-inning presence. When that didn’t pan out, the Braves pivoted quickly, landing fellow All-Star Robert Suárez on a three-year, $45 million deal just four days later.
As for Díaz’s former team, the New York Mets? They weren’t sitting on their hands either.
Despite not giving Díaz a heads-up before signing Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million deal, the Mets still made a competitive offer to bring their closer back: three years, $66 million. That’s not pocket change, and it signals that the Mets were serious about keeping Díaz in Queens.
But this offseason has been anything but kind to the Mets. It started with a jolt: longtime outfielder and fan favorite Brandon Nimmo was dealt to the Texas Rangers in exchange for infielder Marcus Semien.
That was a surprise move, both emotionally and strategically. Then came the Winter Meetings, where the hits just kept coming.
First, Díaz agreed to terms with the defending back-to-back World Series champs. Then, just days later, slugging first baseman Pete Alonso-another homegrown cornerstone-inked a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles, ending his seven-year run in New York.
That’s a lot of star power out the door in a short span. And while the Mets have made moves to patch the holes, the replacements come with their own questions.
Williams is set to take over the closer role in 2026, and there’s no doubt he has the stuff to do it. But replacing Díaz’s presence-both on the mound and in the clubhouse-is a tall order.
Then there’s the Alonso situation. To fill the void at first base, the Mets turned to veteran infielder Jorge Polanco, signing him to a two-year, $40 million deal.
Polanco’s a proven bat, but here’s the twist: first base is almost entirely foreign territory for him. He’s logged just one inning there in his 12-year career.
That’s a big leap, even for a savvy vet.
So what does it all mean for the Mets heading into 2026? One thing’s clear: this team is going to look and feel very different.
Alonso’s departure may have felt inevitable to some, but Díaz? That one stings.
By all accounts, he was open to returning, even after fielding a longer deal from Atlanta. The fact that he ended up in Dodger blue speaks volumes about where things stand in Flushing right now.
The Mets still have talent. They still have resources.
But after an offseason full of seismic shifts, they also have a lot of questions. And the answers are going to define what comes next for a franchise that’s suddenly facing a very different future.