New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz had a choice.
His decision was the expected one, but it's still important as free agency arrives in Major League Baseball.
Diaz has opted out of his current contract, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
On his current deal, Diaz had two years and $38 million remaining. But an opt-out clause was built in for this offseason, and he took it, choosing to go on the open market and try to do better.
Diaz was an All Star in 2025 with a dominant year. He made 62 appearances, notching 28 saves while putting up a 1.63 ERA. He had 98 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched.
Diaz has been with the Mets since 2019. In six seasons, he has a 2.93 ERA and 144 saves.
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The 31-year old probably has a chance at one last strong payday before he enters into that aging reliever purgatory.
This offseason's closer market will also included Robert Suarez, Devin Williams, Ryan Helsley and Raisel Iglesias. By most measures, Diaz comes in as the best of the bunch.
The Mets could certainly look to re-sign Diaz. Without him, they'd likely need to go after a different closer in free agency, because there isn't a super obvious replacement already on the roster.
If Diaz leaves, it'll likely be for a contender that offers him a bunch of money to clean up the back end of their bullpen.
The Mets would probably be much better off if he doesn't go anywhere.
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