Edwin Díaz Landing Spots: 3 teams that could be perfect for the Mets’ slugger

Edwin Diaz might be opting out of his contract with the New York Mets after a disappointing season that ended with the team being knocked out of playoff contention on the final day of the regular season. Diaz has an opt-out clause after the third season attached to the five-year $102 million contract he had signed in the 2022 offseason.

While Mets' All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso has already announced that he is opting out of his own contract, Edwin Diaz has stated his intention to reflect on his situation after he meets with his family back home in Puerto Rico.

“I love this organization,” Diaz said after Met's final game of the season. “They’ve treated me really, really good.”

Following an impressive season, where he recorded 6-3, 1.63 ERA with 28 saves from 31 opportunities and 66.1 innings pitched, the 31-year-old is expected to get a larger, longer-term contract with a team.

#3, Toronto Blue Jays

The Blue Jays bullpen has been a major point of concern for the team in the second half of the season. It needs an upgrade. Their primary closer Jeff Hoffman recorded 33 saves but blew 7 opportunities. Hoffman went 9-7 with a high 4.37 ERA from 68.0 innings pitched. Securing Diaz as a long-term closer option will massively increase the depth of the Blue Jays pitching staff.

#2, Atlanta Braves

It was a disappointing season for the Atlanta Braves who missed out on the postseason for the first time since 2017. The Braves recorded the league's 27th-worst record in the ninth inning with a 4.63 ERA. Their primary closer, Raisel Iglesias, will head into free agency himself. Diaz will be an upgrade over Iglesias, who went 4-6 with a 3.21 ERA with 29 saves out of 34 opportunities.

#1, San Diego Padres

Padres' 2x All-Star closer Robert Suarez will have a decision to make as he can opt-out of his five-year $46 million contract he signed with the club back in 2022. Suarez, who made 40 saves this season with a 4-6, 2.97 ERA, will be easily expected to get more than the $16 million that is guaranteed to him in the final two years of his contract. Replacing him with someone like Diaz could be a viable solution for San Diego who recorded a league-best 2.95 ERA in the seventh inning or later this year.

About the author

Nikhil Parshy is a baseball and ice hockey journalist at Sportskeeda, and after starting out as a cricket reporter, he has been an analyst with SK since November 2022. His interest in the sports were piqued a few years back after watching highlights on YouTube and he has followed the game ever since.

The Chicago Cubs breaking the 108-year curse in 2016 to lift the World Series remains Nikhil's favorite baseball moment. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani has been his favorite player ever since he started following the game, while the LA Dodgers are his favorite team.

As a writer, Nikhil maintains a strong attention to detail and rigorously cross-checks information. He seeks to strike a balance in his writing such that the regular reader gains an insight into player profiles, while also keeping in mind that the non-regular reader is not put off by jargon and shallow analysis.

Nikhil is an avid public speaker, and when not writing about baseball, he regularly participates in debates and quizzes.

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Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy