Edwin Díaz had been the Mets’ closer since 2019, and he was coming off a strong season with 28 saves and a 1.63 ERA over 62 appearances. So, with the free-agent market desperate for reliable closers, it wasn’t surprising that Díaz drew a ton of interest. Still, his final landing spot stayed up in the air until he ended up with the Dodgers.

But while Díaz’s signing with Los Angeles didn’t shock many people, the contract itself definitely did. Reportedly, the Mets were willing to go as high as three years and $66 million to keep Edwin, but he ultimately agreed to a $69 million deal with the Dodgers. The difference might not seem huge, but it caught some people off guard, including Mets owner Steve Cohen.

But now, Díaz has responded, offering his own take on how it all played out.

“At the end of the day, I chose to be here. I have a lot of respect for the Mets organization, players, staff, and ownership. They treated me really good. I don’t have anything bad to say about them. … This is a new journey for me, and I’m happy to be with the Dodgers.” MLB insider Bill Plunkett quoted Díaz.

Díaz’s response came just a day after Cohen admitted he fully expected the closer to re-sign with the Mets. Cohen said he was honestly “perplexed” by Díaz’s decision, especially since the Dodgers only topped New York’s offer by about $3 million.

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“I did find that one perplexing,” Cohen said. “I’m not exactly sure how Edwin arrived at that decision. Obviously, it’s a personal choice. I felt we made a pretty respectable bid, and you could even argue our offer might’ve been better when you factor in the fourth conditional year that people weren’t really talking about. But he made his decision.”

In response, Díaz made it clear there’s no bad blood with the Mets at all. He said the organization treated him well and that his decision wasn’t about resentment or frustration. At the end of the day, it was simply a personal choice.

That said, it’s hard to ignore the championship angle. Remember, after six seasons in New York, Díaz never got a ring. Meanwhile, the Dodgers are chasing a potential three-peat this year. So if jumping ship gives him a better shot at a title, why not take it?

From that perspective, Cohen probably shouldn’t be all that surprised.

As for the Dodgers, though, there’s still some risk involved. Díaz is expected to pitch in the WBC, which always raises questions about workload and health heading into the season.

Edwin Díaz’s WBC participation would keep the Dodgers on their toes

Well, even though Díaz was one of the best closers in the league last season, things can always take a different turn at the WBC. Notably, he’s set to pitch for Puerto Rico, and that naturally brings back some uneasy memories. Remember, it was during a WBC game celebration in 2023 that Díaz suffered a season-ending knee injury!

So while the Mets are left mostly just surprised by how everything played out, the Dodgers are the ones taking on the real risk here. Díaz, for his part, didn’t hesitate when it came to representing his country. “I have the chance to play in front of Puerto Rico,” he said. “That was an easy decision.”

Easy for Edwin Díaz, maybe, but that decision could come at a cost for the Dodgers if anything goes wrong.

Nevertheless,  it’ll be especially interesting to see how Díaz looks when he faces the Mets during the regular season, and how New York responds with Devin Williams waiting in the wings.