Edwin Díaz to the Dodgers: Agrees to a 3-year, $69 million contract

Edwin Díaz Near the Dodgers: A New Chapter for the Star Closer

Los Angeles could be the new destination for the renowned Puerto Rican closer Edwin Díaz. Sources close to the negotiation have confirmed to Alofoke Deportes that the pitcher is about to sign a three-season contract for 69 million dollars with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The official announcement from the team is still pending. Díaz, 31 years old, reached free agency after exercising his right to reject the last two years of his contract with the Mets, which included 38 million dollars. This decision made him one of the most sought-after relievers on the market. Previously, he had signed a record deal with the Mets for five years and 102 million dollars before the 2023 season.

At the end of the 2025 season, the Mets extended a qualifying offer of $22.025 million for 2026, which was rejected. If the agreement with the Dodgers is finalized, the Mets would receive a 2026 Draft pick after the fourth round as compensation.

A dominant reliever

In the past season, Díaz once again proved his worth as one of the most feared arms in baseball. With the Mets, he accumulated 28 saves, an ERA of 1.63, and struck out 98 batters in 66.1 innings, statistics that positioned him among the best relievers of the year. His combination of fastball and slider was again lethal:

• The fastball averaged 97 mph and generated the highest whiff rate among pitchers with at least 500 fastballs thrown.
• The slider produced a 44% whiff rate, solidifying its reputation as one of the best breaking pitches in the circuit.

Díaz recorded the second-best effectiveness among relievers with more than 50 innings pitched, only surpassed by Aroldis Chapman (1.17). He also finished second in strikeout rate (38%) and fifth in strikeouts per nine innings (13.3).

A historic career

Throughout his nine seasons in the Major Leagues, between the Mariners and Mets, Díaz has built a career that places him among the most dominant relievers of the modern era. In 2018, he achieved 57 saves for Seattle, the second-highest amount in a season in MLB history, only surpassed by Francisco Rodríguez’s 62. His best year with the Mets was in 2022, with an ERA of 1.31, striking out 118 batters in 62 innings and accumulating 32 saves. Díaz arrives in 2026 with a total of 253 saves, an effectiveness of 2.82 and 839 strikeouts in 519.1 innings. Only Kenley Jansen, Craig Kimbrel and Aroldis Chapman surpass him in saves among active pitchers. His average of 14.5 strikeouts per nine innings is the third best among active pitchers with at least 500 innings, only behind Chapman and Josh Hader.