Edwin Díaz Shakes Up the Market as Dodgers Make Their Big Move
So, here’s what’s been happening around the league — and the news has been coming fast. The MLB Winter Meetings suddenly burst into life with two major free-agent dominoes falling: Kyle Schwarber heading back to Philadelphia on a five-year deal, and Edwin Díaz, the biggest bullpen name available, signing a three-year, $69 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. And honestly, Díaz’s move has instantly reshaped how several teams might approach the rest of the offseason.
Díaz, who’s been one of the most dominant relievers of the past decade, is joining the reigning World Series champions, and the reaction has been exactly what you’d expect: the Dodgers are being praised for plugging in a proven late-inning force. His numbers last season were borderline outrageous — a 1.63 ERA, 98 strikeouts in just over 66 innings, and expected metrics that basically paint him as one of the hardest pitchers in baseball to square up. Even with his velocity dipping slightly since the knee injury that stole his 2023 season, his fastball-slider mix is still leaving hitters guessing.
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And with the Dodgers stepping in and making that splash, the ripple effect is being felt immediately. For the Mets, losing Díaz after already signing Devin Williams means their bullpen still isn’t complete. Now they’re likely to pivot to someone like Robert Suarez to protect the late innings. Interestingly, Díaz’s departure could also end up freeing money in a roundabout way — money that might help the Mets push harder to bring Pete Alonso back. Losing both stars in the same winter would be a nightmare for the fan base, and the team knows it. The real sticking point seems to be contract length, with the Mets hesitant to go past three years for Alonso.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, probably aren’t done — but Díaz’s addition does make it slightly less likely they go all-in on names like Kyle Tucker or Cody Bellinger. L.A. rarely closes the door on big-ticket moves, but their needs aren’t quite as urgent as other clubs vying for the same stars. Even so, it’s the Dodgers — no one would be shocked if they made another splash.
And on the Phillies’ side, re-signing Schwarber was clearly their top priority, and now that it’s done, it feels like J.T. Realmuto is next in line. The catching market is thin, and Philadelphia doesn’t have an obvious replacement if he leaves. So their focus is expected to shift quickly.
All in all, Díaz choosing L.A. hasn’t just upgraded the Dodgers’ bullpen — it’s kicked off the next wave of decisions for half the league. The market is finally moving, and this deal might be the trigger that sets off the rest of the offseason frenzy.
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