The Los Angeles Dodgers landed the top closer on the free-agent market Tuesday, agreeing to a three-year, $69 million deal with former New York Mets reliever Edwin Diaz.
The contract carries a $23 million average annual value, setting a new record for a relief pitcher and surpassing the record Diaz himself established with his five-year, $102.5 million deal with the Mets following the 2022 season. That contract included deferrals that lowered its present-day value to under $95 million. Diaz opted out of the final two years and $38 million remaining on the deal to re-enter free agency.
Diaz’s new deal adds an extra year and $31 million in guaranteed money. The Mets’ final offer reportedly stood at three years and $66 million with slight deferrals, with team officials indicating there was room to improve, but Diaz chose Los Angeles before further negotiations progressed.
The three-time All-Star was widely regarded as the No. 1 reliever available this offseason. His signing marks the Dodgers’ continued shift toward investing heavily in the bullpen. It is the second straight offseason in which Los Angeles has spent big on relief pitching, following the addition of Tanner Scott on a four-year, $72 million deal prior to the 2025 season.
Scott struggled in his first year with the Dodgers, posting a 4.74 ERA and blowing a major league–high 10 saves. While the club believes the 31-year-old left-hander can rebound, Diaz now gives Los Angeles a proven, elite option to close out games.
Bullpen inconsistency was a clear weakness for the Dodgers in 2025. Their relievers combined for a 4.27 ERA and blew 27 saves, tied for the seventh-most in the majors. The situation became so dire late in the season that the team leaned on its starting depth, transitioning Roki Sasaki into the closer role while also deploying Emmet Sheehan, Justin Wrobleski, and at times Tyler Glasnow in high-leverage relief spots.
Diaz is coming off an strong 2025 campaign in which he recorded 28 saves with a 1.63 ERA and 98 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings. Among relievers who threw at least 50 innings, his ERA ranked second in baseball, trailing only Aroldis Chapman. His 38% strikeout rate was second only to Mason Miller, and his 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings ranked fifth. He walked just 14 batters all season.
A three-time All-Star, Diaz has been one of baseball’s most dominant closers for nearly a decade. He debuted with the Seattle Mariners in 2016, led the majors with 57 saves in 2018, and was traded to New York ahead of the 2019 season. After an uneven start with the Mets, he rebounded to reestablish himself as one of the game’s premier late-inning pitchers.
Diaz has struck out just under 40% of opposing hitters over his career. He has posted an ERA below 2.00 four times and has delivered strong performances in limited postseason action.
Entering the 2026 season, Diaz owns 253 career saves with a 2.82 ERA and 839 strikeouts in 519 1/3 innings. Only three active pitchers have more saves: Kenley Jansen (476), Craig Kimbrel (440), and Aroldis Chapman (367).
