Edwin Diaz is giving the Dodgers exactly what they hoped for, and maybe a little more timing-wise, too.
After a brutal regular season with the New York Mets in his first year with Los Angeles, Diaz has looked like a different pitcher since returning from the IL in September. Over his final five appearances last month, he threw five shutout innings, struck out nine, and walked just one.
Then he turned it up another notch in the postseason, working three shutout innings against the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS, allowing one hit, striking out three, and collecting two saves. Atlanta hitters managed only a .100 average against him in the series, and he handled the final clinching game.
That kind of finish stands in sharp contrast to what the Mets saw from him in the regular season. Diaz’s year was the roughest of his career by a wide margin, as he finished with an 8.68 ERA and four blown saves in only 21 appearances. His season was also interrupted by two separate injury absences: three months after surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow, then another month because of neck inflammation.
For New York, letting Diaz walk looked like the safe decision at the time. For Los Angeles, it now looks like a potential payoff on the sport’s biggest stage.
The Dodgers signed Diaz to a three-year, $69 million contract in free agency this past offseason after the Mets made a serious push to keep him. Instead, he landed in Los Angeles and now serves as the club’s closer as it chases a third straight World Series title. If the Dodgers complete the three-peat this October, Diaz figures to be right in the middle of it.
That’s what makes this stretch sting for the Mets. They watched Diaz leave, then watched him rediscover his form in a Dodgers uniform.
The Mets replaced him with Devin Williams, who had a rocky first season in Queens with a 4.43 ERA in 44 appearances. Diaz still has two years left on his deal, and if he keeps pitching like this while Williams continues to struggle, the decision not to bring him back could end up looking even worse.
In Other News...
Mets Should Think Twice Before Copying The Braves On Young Extensions
Around baseball, early extensions for promising young players have become almost routine, especially for teams that want to buy cost certainty before a prospects price rises. The Braves have been the poster team for that approach, moving quickly on players like Ronald Acua Jr., Ozzie Albies, Spencer Strider and Austin Riley, and turning those deals into a central part of their roster-building identity. It is easy to see why clubs covet the model: if the player develops, the team controls a core piece at a manageable rate for years.
For the Mets, though, the lesson is not to treat that blueprint as automatic. The club has its own young talent to think about in Carson Benge, Nolan McLean and A.J. Ewing, but extensions handed out this early can carry real downside when health or performance changes the trajectory of a career. Atlantas experience shows the rewards are obvious when the gamble works, yet the risk can linger long after the agreement is signed, which is why New York has reason to be cautious before rushing to copy a division rivals playbook. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Face A Tough Zac Thornton Decision As 2027 Plans Take Shape
As the Mets look ahead to the 2027 season, the front office is weighing every avenue to upgrade a roster that could still use more impact, and the trade market remains part of that conversation. One name that naturally comes up is Zac Thornton, the left-hander who turned in a strong rookie season and quickly made himself a potential asset if New York decides to chase help elsewhere.
The catch is that Thorntons value is tied to how much the organization believes in his long-term profile, not just what he already showed. The Mets have been clear about wanting to keep a deep stock of starting pitching in the system and on the roster, a philosophy that complicates any discussion about moving a young arm with upside, especially when the club is trying to balance present flexibility against future stability. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Got An Early Reminder How Raw Their Newest Prospects Are
The Arizona Fall League has already given Mets watchers a small reminder that prospect development does not always move in a straight line. Cole Mathis and Bruin Agbayani have gotten off to slow starts in the desert, combining for just two hits in 24 at-bats, though Mathis has at least shown some plate discipline after missing much of the regular season because of injury and Agbayani is still working with a very small professional resume.
There is still plenty of reason for the Mets to keep paying attention beyond the early line scores. Boston Baro and Irving Cota are also in the mix, and Cota has drawn notice for a promising start on the pitching side, which gives the organization a broader look at how this group is handling a tougher level of competition. For Mathis and Agbayani, though, the early AFL stretch is less about production and more about how quickly raw talent can start to look like something sturdier. [Read more 🡒]