After this season, it may be the last time that “Narco” fills Citi Field in the ninth inning.
New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz is expected to choose to opt out of his current deal in order to obtain a longer-term one, according to former MLB general manager Jim Bowden. Although no decision has been made and Díaz’s choice to opt out does not guarantee that the Mets would not re-sign him, it may indicate that 2025 will be Díaz’s final season in Queens.
Bowden wrote the following on Wednesday in The Athletic:
Díaz holds $18.5 million player options for 2026 and 2027, and the Mets have a $20.4 million club option for 2028. If Díaz continues to pitch at a high level this season, I expect him to opt out in November to pursue a longer-term deal. The two-time All-Star remains one of the best closers in the game.
Díaz could throw for the Mets from 2026 to 2028 for a total of $57.4 million under his current contract. According to Spotrac, that alone would place him third among all active reliever contracts. His current average yearly worth of $19.3 million would place him top, ahead of Josh Hader of the Houston Astros.
Would Díaz actually opt out and risk earning less? He will be thirty-two by the next season. His stuff has gotten worse, but he still has a dominant strikeout rate of 35.1% and an ERA of 2.84. His strikeout percentage is on a three-year decrease and his 96.6 mph average fastball velocity is the lowest in his career.
Would Díaz receive more and longer-term compensation from MLB teams? Díaz’s choice throughout the offseason will be significant.
