Mets Simply Must Bring Back Edwin Díaz

It goes without saying that the New York Mets face a plethora of tough decisions this winter. However, the choice on whether or not to bring back Edwin Díaz should be a no-brainer.

The Mets should resoundingly look to sign Díaz to a new deal in free agency, no matter the cost. With so many needs to fill, president of baseball operations David Stearns should look for easy wins wherever possible. And bringing back one of the best closers in the game is about as easy a win as you can get.

Yes, it is true that, according to Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, Díaz is looking for essentially the same deal he signed with New York back in November 2022. For those who need reminding, the closer signed a five-year, $102 million contract. It was, at the time, the largest in history for a reliever.

Now, granted, lots has changed since that last deal. Díaz has gotten older, he missed the entire 2023 season due to injury, and the Mets now have a baseball executive in charge who may be reluctant to give a 31-year-old reliever a long-term deal with big money. You can understand that school of thought given most closers who sign box office contracts don’t often age well and provide equal value. And you can understand other teams being reluctant to enter the Díaz sweepstakes given that they would have to surrender a draft pick in addition to a boatload of money.

However, it is hard to fathom why Stearns would be reluctant to give in to Díaz’s wishes. After all, Stearns knows exactly what he is getting from Díaz because he’s witnessed it for the last couple of years.

And that’s consistent excellence day in and day out.

Mets would be foolish not to pay Díaz

Nine years into his MLB career, Díaz remains an elite closer. One could even argue that he’s at the peak of his powers, despite the fact that he’ll turn 31 in March. He is coming off one of his best seasons ever, having been lights-out in 2025. He pitched to a stellar 1.63 ERA with 98 strikeouts and 28 saves across 66 1/3 innings. Additionally, Díaz owned a 38 percent strikeout rate and an 8.1 walk rate.

It is always important to take the eye test into consideration, too. And, with the rest of the bullpen melting down around him, Díaz remained a perfect picture of prowess and stability in 2025. He always answered the bell, and he always delivered. He was particularly clutch in September when every win was crucial, posting a 0.61 ERA with 19 strikeouts and three walks allowed in 14.2 innings of work.

In short, Díaz proved once again in 2025 why he is considered one of the very best closers in all of baseball.

Furthermore, outside of a rocky first year, Díaz has been consistently elite in Queens since being acquired from the Mariners in 2019. The proven track record is there for all to see. He’s fifth in saves since the 2019 season – despite missing all of 2023 with injury – and his strikeout rate of 40.5 percent is tied with Josh Hader for the best in the sport. Plus, Díaz has now posted an ERA below 2.00 with the Mets on three separate occasions.

So, it begs the question, why wouldn’t Stearns fall over himself to bring Díaz back?

What are the alternatives?

Díaz’s return is a no-brainer

Devin Williams struggled in his first year with the Yankees, pitching to a 4.79 ERA. Is he really suited to pitching in New York? Ryan Helsley had his own struggles after being acquired by the Mets at the Trade Deadline. And Robert Suárez, Raisel Iglesias, and Kenley Jansen are all 35 or older. All in all, the options outside of Díaz aren’t exactly overly attractive.

On the flip side, Díaz is a proven commodity in New York. You know exactly what you are going to get. He has proven time and time again that he can deliver on the biggest stage. With the pressure at its highest in the most intense market, Díaz has shown that he can thrive. And then some.

Why would you sign another closer with a bunch of question marks? Especially when you already know what you’ve got in Díaz?

Díaz is tried and tested in the cauldron that is New York. He’s tried and tested in the regular season. He’s tried and tested in the postseason. And he’s tried and tested in the most high-pressured of situations. Díaz has already shown what he’s capable of in a Mets uniform.

He’s also got more efficient with his pitches over the last couple of years, meaning he’s more likely to age well. In addition, the Mets can always move Díaz to a set-up or middle-innings role in the later years of a new deal.

So, all in all, this is the very definition of a no-brainer move. Bringing back Edwin Díaz makes all the sense in the world.

It is a move the Mets simply have to make.

This should be the easiest decision of the entire offseason for Stearns and the Mets.

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