Mets’ Edwin Diaz makes free agency statement as Blue Jays, Braves emerge as suitors

Mets’ Edwin Diaz makes free agency statement as Blue Jays, Braves emerge as suitors originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz has become a hot commodity in MLB free agency, catching the eyes of not only the usual suspects like the New York Yankees and Los Angeles, but the Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves as well.

Diaz reaffirmed his love of New York and his Mets teammates but continued to preach that his free agency his open, and whoever gets him next will be a team that’s already in the hunt for October.

“Just get the best deal for my family… I love New York. I would love to stay in New York, but if I have to go another place, I would be happy. I want to win a ring, so wherever I go, I want to win a ring and enjoy the time,” Diaz said.

Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins intimated that Toronto will be focused on several areas in free agency, but will focus on their pitching because of the likely losses of Chris Bassitt and Seranthony Dominguez. Diaz is reportedly included in those plans.

“We want to make sure we don’t cut ourselves off,” Atkins said. “We’ve had more subtractions in the pitching area. We have to make sure we understand that market, but we’re not going to take ourselves out of any other market, either.”

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported that Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk wants the Braves to be viewed as a big-spender in the vein of the Mets, Dodgers, or Yankees and views shortstop, the rotation, and the bullpen as the areas of focus.

“Díaz, who turns 32 in March, wants the same kind of deal he signed with the Mets in November 2022, according to a person briefed on his wishes – five years, $102 million. He opted out of the final two years and $38 million in the deal, and is certain to turn down the Mets’ one-year, $22.025 million qualifying offer,” Rosenthal wrote.

“Could it come from the Mets’ NL East rival, the Atlanta Braves? Chairman Terry McGuirk recently said on an earnings call that the Braves aim to carry one of the game’s five highest payrolls. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos listed the additions of a shortstop, starting pitcher and multiple relievers, in that order, as the team’s biggest needs. For Díaz, though, he might adjust.”

Whoever ends up with Diaz will land a reliever who has one goal in mind: win it all. Certainly, that makes the Dodgers the most obvious play, but the Braves have also won it all in the past five years, and the Jays just came within a game of winning it all.

Perhaps Diaz just said goodbye to his teammates in classy fashion while announcing his next move, without naming any names of his next employer.