It figures to be a busy offseason for the New York Mets but they took care of a very important piece of business just one day after the conclusion of the 2022 season. The Mets re-signed All-Star closer Edwin Diaz to a five-year deal worth $102 million, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports. The deal is a record contract for a closer and contains both an opt-out for Diaz along with a sixth-year option for the Mets.
Star closer Edwin Díaz and the New York Mets are in agreement on a five-year, $102 million contract, pending physical, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. There’s an opt-out and a full no-trade clause, plus a sixth-year option. The best closer in baseball stays in New York.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 6, 2022
This was an excellent start to the offseason for the Mets since Diaz was their Most Valuable Player in 2022 and there were no good options to replace him on the open market. Diaz dominated opposing hitters this season, racking up 31 saves and pitching to a 1.31 ERA and 0.84 WHIP, striking out an absurd 118 batters in 62 innings pitched. Opponents batted just .160 and slugged only .216 against Diaz, who was used in various role by manager Buck Showalter to retire the opposing team’s most dangerous hitters. Diaz responded to every challenge and even became a cult hero as his entrance song, Narco, went viral and inspired Blasterjaxx’s Timmy Trumpet to perform the tune live for him prior to an August game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The move also was a smart business decision for the Mets, who have been far too passive in trying to reach deals with free agents prior to the Steve Cohen era. Diaz expressed interest in staying in Queens and the Mets needed him back so it made all the sense in the world to get a fair deal done to avoid the risk of the open market. Taking care of Diaz now also allows the Mets to lock in their closer for the next few years while working on other key offseason priorities, such as trying to retain Jacob deGrom and Brandon Nimmo.
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