New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz recently signed a five-year, $102 million contract extension with the team.
The deal set a record for the most guaranteed money ever handed out to a relief pitcher.
According to USA Today, it will also pay Diaz until he’s 48 years old.
The deal reportedly includes $26.5 million in deferred payments that Diaz won’t completely receive until 2042.
The deal includes an $8.5 million player option for both the 2026 and 2027 season. However, Diaz must decide whether or not to pick up those options by the end of the 2025 season.
If he decides to exercise them, which seems likely at this point, New York will have a $17.25 million option for 2028 with a $1 million buyout.
As part of the deal, Diaz will receive the deferred money from 2023 to 2026 in three installments. The final year of his deal (2027) will see the deferred amount paid out in two installments in 2041 and 2042.
On the other hand, none of that salary will be deferred if New York decides to pick up his team option in 2028.
The deal also includes a no-trade clause through the 2025 season, allowing him to block trades to 10 teams.
Can Diaz Build Off Of His Career Year In New York?
Edwin Diaz finished eighth in the MLB in saves with 32 but established himself as one of the most dominant closers in all of baseball last season.
He finished with a 1.31 ERA and 0.84 WHIP while striking out an impressive 118 batters in just 62 innings of work.
In four seasons with New York, Diaz has compiled 96 saves while blowing just 20 opportunities during that span.
With the Mets projected to finish near the top of the NL East once again in 2023, Diaz should have plenty of opportunities to build on his success from a season ago.
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