Dodgers Shake Up MLB Market by Landing Edwin Diaz
So, here’s what’s been unfolding — and it’s been happening fast. Edwin Diaz, one of the most dominant relievers in baseball, has officially been scooped up by the Los Angeles Dodgers, and this move has sent a shockwave across the league. It had already been reported that the Dodgers were showing “serious interest,” but now the deal is done, and the details are massive. A three-year contract worth a guaranteed $69 million has been agreed to, setting a new record for annual value for a relief pitcher. Diaz, who already held the previous record, has essentially broken his own mark.
This signing didn’t come out of nowhere. Diaz had opted out of the final two years of his previous five-year, $102 million deal with the New York Mets, betting on himself after a vintage season in 2025. And that bet paid off. He put up a 1.63 ERA, converted 28 of 31 save chances, and struck out 98 batters in just over 66 innings. With that kind of performance, it was clear he would be one of the most coveted arms on the market.
The Mets had hoped to bring him back, but they suddenly found themselves surrounded by competition. Not just any competition — but the Dodgers and the Blue Jays, two teams that just battled on the biggest stage in the World Series. Having both league champions chasing the same closer instantly made the Mets’ chances a lot slimmer. The Braves were also hovering around the conversation early on, but draft-pick penalties and the cost of a top-tier reliever seemed to push them away.
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For the Dodgers, this move feels like the perfect response to what nearly derailed their postseason run: bullpen instability. Injuries had forced them into high-stress late-game situations, even pushing starters like Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow into relief appearances during critical playoff moments. So adding Diaz — a proven, overpowering closer — directly targets that weakness.
Diaz’s time with the Mets was a mix of extreme highs and unpredictable lows. Some seasons he was nearly unhittable; others, he struggled with blown saves and command issues. He even missed the entire 2023 season after a freak knee injury during a World Baseball Classic celebration. But when he’s at his best, he’s almost untouchable, pairing a blazing fastball with a slider that just disappears.
For Mets fans, this one is going to sting. They will receive a compensatory draft pick because he signed elsewhere, but that’s not much comfort when you’re losing the guy known for the trumpet entrances that electrified Queens.
For the Dodgers, though? This is a statement. After saying they were mostly “done” making big offseason moves, they’ve once again proved that their actions speak louder. They’ve added yet another star to a roster already loaded with top-tier talent.
And just like that, the balance of late-inning power in the National League has shifted — dramatically.
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