For the longest time, New York Mets fans were refreshing their feeds—all in hopes of seeing David Stearns get back Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz. They need them. Even more so after the embarrassing season they had. But it’s too late now–Diaz has walked away.

Edwin Diaz has moved to the Los Angeles Dodgers, as the Athletic first reported.

Is this unexpected? Not really, because Diaz opted out for a reason. But what’s unexpected is the Mets’ urgency to cut a deal with him, because let’s be honest, this is a major loss for them and a major plus for LA.

LA didn’t just sign any reliever; they swooped in and grabbed the guy who changed the entire ballpark’s energy every time he stepped on. Plus, Diaz is coming off one of the best seasons of his career—a 1.63 ERA, ninety-eight strikeouts, and twenty-eight saves. And all of it after a tendon tear wiped out a year of his.

He didn’t just bounce back; he came back looking like the same monster that shut everything down in 2022. He earned the 2025 Trevor Hoffman Award, by the way—his third career Reliever of the Year trophy.

So, when Diaz chose to walk away from the final two years and $38 million on his deal, everyone knew that he was betting on himself, even the Dodgers. So they didn’t wait around for one of the league’s best relievers to end up elsewhere.

They saw the 97 mph fastball and that slider that opponents barely touch, and made the deal happen. Meanwhile, the Mets now get a compensation pick after the fourth round—so not exactly the kind of return that makes the fanbase feel better about losing the heartbeat of the bullpen.

So, is it a surprise that Mets fans are turning on Stearns now?