Edwin Diaz and the New York Mets agreed on a five-year, $102 million contract yesterday, which marked the first major move of the offseason.
The deal is the largest in MLB history for a relief pitcher, which tops Aroldis Chapman‘s record of $86 million for five years with the Mets’ crosstown rivals, the New York Yankees, back in 2016.
Diaz posted a 1.31 ERA in 61 appearances this season and converted 32 of his 35 save opportunities.
On Twitter, Mets insider Anthony DiComo discussed why bringing back Diaz was a “no-brainer” for the team and that now, the Mets have checked their first item off their to-do list as they try and piece together their bullpen for 2023.
Bringing Edwin Díaz back was the no-brainer of the offseason for a Mets team that must essentially build an entire bullpen from scratch. It's an expensive deal for a reliever, to be sure, but that's much easier to stomach with a player as well-liked and respected as Díaz.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) November 6, 2022
Mets Retain Diaz
Keeping Diaz is a huge move for the Mets.
Diaz had a historic season as the Mets closer and quickly became a fan favorite.
Each time he entered the game at Citi Field, Mets fans were enthralled by the playing of “Narco” by Blasterjaxx, which features a legendary trumpet solo from trumpeter Timmy Trumpet, who like Diaz, has become a favorite in New York.
The deal will keep Diaz in a Mets uniform until 2027.
The Mets have their closer back for the next five years and will look to piece together a solid bullpen around him, as DiComo alluded to in his tweet.
Diaz is the perfect guy to anchor the pen as the Mets look to build on their success in 2022.
The Mets earned the first Wild Card in the National League thanks to a 101-61 season, which was the first 100+ win season for the Mets since 1988.
NEXT: Edwin Diaz Shattered A Previous Record With New Contract