Historic Edwin Diaz free agency contract prediction makes 'easy decision' for Mets

Closer Edwin Diaz should make a historic amount of money this winter. But will the New York Mets give it to him?

Jun 12, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) reacts after getting the final out of the game against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York Mets fans don't want to imagine what their 2025 season would have looked like without Edwin Diaz.

Of course, Mets fans don't want to think about how their 2025 season ended at all, given how disappointing this talented team missing the playoffs was (and still is). But the bottom line is that this team would not have come close to postseason contention if not for Diaz, who produced yet another fantastic season out of the bullpen.

The 31-year-old finished the year with a 1.63 ERA, 28 saves (in 31 opportunities), and 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched. Diaz also didn't give up a single earned run in his final nine innings pitched, which was when the Mets most needed him to perform. While these fantastic stats are enough to prove Diaz's importance to New York's roster, the fact that they had essentially no other reliable relievers further highlights his immense value.

Aug 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) and relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) walk off the field after the top of the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets fans may have taken for granted having one of baseball's most dominant relievers this century on their team since the 2019 season. And this has become more apparent than ever right now, given that there's a real chance Diaz may not be on New York's roster come Opening Day 2026.

Edwin Diaz Contract Prediction Should Be Easy Choice for New York Mets

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter wrote an October 16 article that predicted the biggest contract players would receive this offseason.

When it came to Diaz, Reuter predicted that he would sign a four-year, $88 million deal. This would be the largest contract a reliever has received in MLB history, surpassing the four-year, $72 million deal that Tanner Scott signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers last offseason by a whole $4 million per year.

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Reuter also asserted that the Mets' front office shouldn't balk at the thought of giving Diaz this historic contract, writing, "The $20.4 million AAV on Diaz's last contract was the largest in MLB history for a reliever, and he is expected to opt out of the final two years and $37 million of that deal in search of more guaranteed money.

"A modest raise and two additional years should be an easy decision for the Mets," he added.

Edwin Diaz 👉 a major priority. pic.twitter.com/2iuKziorWk

— Mets Batflip (@metsbatflip1) October 15, 2025

$88 million is an unprecedented amount of money to give to a reliever. But if there's anybody who has proven he deserves this sort of bag from the Mets, it's Diaz. And as Reuter alluded to, this should be an obvious decision for the front office to make.