Insider predicts Edwin Diaz signing with Yankees for surprising price

New York Mets fans will not like this Edwin Diaz free agency prediction.

Apr 23, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) reacts during the ninth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

When the New York Mets signed former Yankees reliever Devin Williams earlier this week, one of the most common questions among fans was whether this meant the Mets' front office was giving up on re-signing Edwin Diaz.

SNY MLB insider Andy Martino quickly addressed with an X post in the wake of the Williams signing that read, "This does not take the Mets out of the market for Edwin Diaz. It doesn't mean they’ll def sign him, but they’re still in."

Read more: Mets ex-manager addresses Francisco Lindor-Jeff McNeil beef

This eased the concerns of many fans who aren't ready to see Diaz (who has been one of baseball's best closers since joining the Mets in 2019) wearing another team's jersey next season. However, bringing Williams on board does ease the pressure on the Mets and gives them leverage in negotiations.

It also means that the Yankees will need another arm in the back end of their bullpen. While Williams lost the closer job during the 2025 regular season and the Mets' cross-town rival has a solid 9th inning man in David Bednar, the Yankees would surely pounce on the opportunity to add Diaz if it presented itself, given how important it is to have multiple quality arms in the bullpen.

New York Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz (39) pitches in relief, Tuesday, August 26, 2025. | Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Insider Predicts Edwin Diaz Will Join Yankees in Free Agency

The reported hold-up between Diaz and the Mets when it comes to contract negotiations right now is that Diaz reportedly wants a five-year deal, and New York's front office has only been keen to give him a three-year deal.

This has made some worry that Diaz will leave the Mets behind and sign with a team that is willing to offer him those five years. And that's exactly what The Athletic's Jim Bowden predicted the Yankees would do in a December 5 article.

Bowden asserted that he believes Diaz will sign a five-year, $88 million deal with the Yankees this winter. This is surprising, because most imagine Diaz getting around $100 million for five years. However, Bowden did note that his predicted contract would include "escalators" that would ultimately make the contract worth $100 million.

Winter Meetings wish list: Kyle Tucker to the Yankees, Tarik Skubal to the Dodgers and more https://t.co/2sRBqwDzxh

— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) December 5, 2025

There has been a lot of chatter about former Yankees players leaving to join the Mets in recent years, including Williams, Juan Soto, and Clay Holmes, to name a few. Diaz doing the opposite would turn a lot of heads and give Yankees fans a reason to laugh at their rival fan base for however long Diaz is under contract.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.