Edwin Díaz heading to the Dodgers in December wasn’t just a shocker for Mets fans-it caught team owner Steve Cohen off guard, too.
“I did find that one perplexing,” Cohen admitted in a recent interview with Mets radio voice Howie Rose. “Not sure exactly how Edwin arrived at that decision.”
The Mets had made what Cohen described as a “respectable bid,” but it wasn’t enough to keep their star closer in Queens. Díaz instead inked a three-year, $69 million deal with Los Angeles, leaving New York without a chance to match or exceed the offer.
The timing was particularly interesting. Just a week earlier, the Mets had signed former Brewers closer Devin Williams, a move that now looks like a calculated insurance policy.
“When it was getting pretty hot and heavy… I felt pretty good about the fact that we had signed Devin Williams,” Cohen said. “I described it to David [presumably team president David Stearns]-that was pretty clever, because it was a really good hedge, in case there was an unfavorable outcome with Edwin.”
From the Mets’ perspective, the market on Williams was moving too fast to wait on Díaz. And given how things played out, that early move gave the team some much-needed stability in the bullpen.
Díaz wasn’t the only high-profile free agent the Mets saw slip away to L.A. Kyle Tucker also chose the Dodgers, prompting New York to quickly pivot and bring in Bo Bichette. And while losing out on Tucker stung, Cohen believes the outcome might actually favor the Mets in the long run.
“Frankly, once it was all done, and we got Bo to come to the Mets, I actually feel Bo might be a better fit for the team,” Cohen said. “So I think things worked out for the best.”
That kind of optimism has been a theme this offseason for Cohen, even as the roster underwent a dramatic overhaul. Pete Alonso signed elsewhere.
Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil were traded. And just one player-lefty starter David Peterson-remains from the pre-Cohen era.
“I can totally understand how the fans felt when they’re losing players that they develop relationships with. Listen, change is hard,” Cohen acknowledged.
“The players that left were the players that I started with in my ownership, day one. And so I developed pretty close relationships with some of these players.”
Still, Cohen made it clear he believes the organization is turning a corner. “I think we stayed patient, disciplined, and I really like this team that we built. I’m really excited by it.”
For Mets fans, it’s been a whirlwind of a winter-one filled with tough goodbyes, surprising moves, and bold new additions. But if Cohen’s confidence is any indication, this isn’t just a rebuild. It’s a reset with purpose.