The New York Mets are at a key moment in their rebuild after a disappointing 2025 season in which they missed the playoffs despite signing free agent Juan Soto to a record contract. Now, the organization must decide how to restructure a team that, on paper, had everything to compete for the World Series.
One of the most delicate decisions is the future of Edwin Diaz, their star closer, who opted out of the last two years of his contract and has chosen to explore free agency. After a solid campaign, the Puerto Rican is once again among the most coveted arms on the market.
David Stearns, between discipline and the need to keep his star
According to a report by Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns is known for his methodical approach and caution in decision-making. This could complicate a possible renewal with Diaz, especially considering the abundant market for relievers in this free agency.
“The free agent market is full of late-inning relievers, from Devin Williams and Robert Suarez to Ryan Helsley, Pete Fairbanks, Luke Weaver and Raisel Iglesias,” detailed the report.
The journalists also pointed out that Diaz would seek a similar deal to the one he signed last time, valued at five years and $102 million, a figure that would keep him among the highest-paid closers in MLB.
“Imagine Diaz on the Blue Jays, Tigers or Braves,” among other clubs. “It’s hard to find difference-making players of his caliber,” Rosenthal and Sammon added
An uncertain future in Queens
For the Mets, letting Diaz go without getting anything in return would be a sporting and symbolic blow, considering his status as one of the team’s most recognizable faces. However, existing salary commitments – several of them disappointing in 2025 – could force management to redistribute resources to other areas of need.
Whichever path Stearns chooses, Mets fans are hoping for an immediate response in 2026, looking to regain the competitive identity that took them to the playoffs in 2024. Retaining Edwin Diaz could be the first step toward achieving that.
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