How the Dodgers Wooed Longtime Mets Nearer Edwin Díaz: ‘I’m Seeking to Win’

[ad_1] DODGER STADIUM (Los Angeles, CA) — Almost 2,800 miles away from Queens, the sound of trumpets will quickly fill Dodger Stadium.

Getting into this winter, including the most effective nearer available on the market didn’t seem to be essentially the most reasonable avenue for the Dodgers to handle their most obvious space of want. They knew they wanted so as to add to the bullpen, however they sought shorter-term offers, notably after the primary 12 months of Tanner Scott’s four-year, $72 million deal went awry.

Edwin Diaz, top-of-the-line closers within the sport over the previous decade, figured to command not less than 4 or 5 years getting into his age-32 season after opting out of the ultimate two years of a report five-year, $102 million contract with the Mets. Plus, most within the business anticipated Díaz to return to the Mets, one of many few groups able to working in the identical monetary hemisphere because the reigning champions.

And but…

"You don’t know the way issues are going to play out and what in the end is reported versus what the participant is comfy with and the place he needs to be," mentioned Dodgers normal supervisor Brandon Gomes. "You don’t at all times know. It’s why you set within the work alongside the best way."

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Instances by way of Getty Pictures)

So the Dodgers did, checking in on the reigning Nationwide League Reliever of the 12 months because the nearer market was thinning. The Mets had already signed Devin Williams. Ryan Helsley went to the Orioles. Raisel Iglesias returned to the Braves. The Dodgers expressed to Díaz’s illustration how a lot they valued him.

"It was extra like, ‘Hey, we’re right here if one thing is sensible, and we’d like to have you ever be part of our group,’" Gomes recalled.

Because it turned out, there was mutual curiosity.

"That’s why you shouldn’t play the sport of assumptions and simply do the due diligence on the entrance finish, and generally issues work out and generally they don’t," Gomes informed me. "However having these conversations and ensuring you’re doing the work that’s wanted to essentially perceive the state of affairs is essential, particularly once you see conditions like this play out."

During the last week, discussions between the Dodgers and Díaz intensified. Los Angeles supplied three years and $69 million. It wasn’t the size of contract many anticipated Diaz to obtain, but it surely was the best common annual wage ever given to a reliever.

And it was sufficient for Diaz to make the stunning alternative to depart the Mets, the place he had spent the final seven years.

"It wasn’t straightforward," Díaz mentioned at his introductory press convention Friday. "They deal with me actually good. They deal with me nice. I selected the Dodgers as a result of they’re a profitable group. I’m trying to win. I believe they've every thing to win, so selecting the Dodgers was fairly straightforward."

It didn’t damage that the Dodgers had a pair voices of their nook.

Kiké Hernandez, a fellow native of Puerto Rico, and Díaz’s brother, Alexis, each vouched for the group earlier than the three-time All-Star nearer made his choice.

"I heard nice issues about this clubhouse," Díaz mentioned. "My brother performed right here, he informed me nice issues concerning the Dodger clubhouse. They deal with each single participant the identical. That’s one thing very nice. I do know they've lots of nice gamers, future Corridor of Famers right here. I heard they deal with the younger guys like they’re the identical guys."

Díaz believes that facet is essential to a profitable clubhouse, and it labored in favor of the Dodgers, who now have their most elite ninth-inning possibility since Kenley Jansen departed 4 years in the past.

Jansen recorded 38 saves in his last season with the Dodgers in 2021 and saved not less than 30 video games in every of his last seven full seasons in Los Angeles. The Dodgers, regardless of profitable 111 video games in 2022, 100 video games in 2023, 98 video games in 2024 and 93 video games in 2025, haven't had a better with even 25 saves since Jansen’s departure.

Final season, Scott led the membership with 23 saves, however he had a 4.74 ERA and was in the end a non-factor in October.

There will likely be no nearer by committee in 2026.

"Now we have a excessive bar," mentioned Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. "To call somebody the nearer, it's important to be top-of-the-line."

Díaz, who’s coming off an All-Star 2025 season by which he led all certified NL relievers with a 1.63 ERA and ranked second amongst all MLB relievers in strikeout fee, matches the invoice.

He received’t be taking his standard No. 39 to Los Angeles — that quantity is retired for Roy Campanella — and is as a substitute switching to No. 3 in honor of his three youngsters.

However he will likely be taking one of the crucial electrical walk-out songs within the sport.

Díaz mentioned he can’t await Timmy Trumpet to get a brand new crowd going as he enters within the ninth.

"Now, we're in a brand new household," Díaz mentioned. "We’re with the Dodgers. I got here right here to win."

Rowan Kavner is an MLB author for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand coated the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved again to the West Coast in 2014. Observe him on X at @RowanKavner.