The Los Angeles Dodgers just made a splash, locking down elite closer Edwin Díaz on a three-year, $69 million contract. This move totally overhauls the back end of their bullpen and shows the franchise isn’t afraid to give up draft picks and international spending flexibility for a proven, high-octane finisher right in his prime.
Dodgers Land Edwin Díaz on a Three-Year, $69 Million Deal
Díaz’s deal immediately ranks among the priciest ever given to a reliever. At 31, he now becomes the main piece in a bullpen overhaul for a Dodgers team tired of watching late leads crumble in October.
Díaz hit the open market by opting out of the final two years and $38 million on his Mets contract. He turned that into a fresh three-year pact, picking up an extra year and $31 million more guaranteed.
How the Dodgers Beat the Mets to the Signature
The Mets didn’t just sit back and watch. They reportedly offered three years and $66 million, hoping to keep their star closer in Queens.
The gap between the two offers wasn’t huge, but timing mattered. Before the Mets could counter, Díaz chose the Dodgers. For him, it was a mix of a slight financial edge and the chance to join a perennial contender with deep pockets and a serious win-now attitude.
A Record Mets Deal, an Opt-Out, and a Second Payday
This isn’t Díaz’s first big-money contract. Before the 2023 season, he signed a five-year, $102 million deal with the Mets, which reset expectations for elite closers all over baseball.
That contract included an opt-out, which Díaz used. After declining a qualifying offer for 2026, he hit free agency again, banking on his performance and reputation to land another huge payday, even with some recent injury questions.
The Financial and Draft Cost for Los Angeles
Because Díaz turned down the qualifying offer, the Dodgers have to pay a hefty price under MLB rules. Los Angeles will lose:
That’s a steep price, especially when player development and international scouting are such big deals now. Still, Dodgers president Andrew Friedman believes the upside of locking in a top closer is worth it. With one of baseball’s best farm systems, the Dodgers figure they can take the draft hit and keep the talent pipeline flowing.
Díaz’s Dominant Track Record and Return from Injury
Díaz brings a mix of power, strikeouts, and a proven knack for closing out games in high-pressure moments. When healthy, he’s right at the top of the relief pitcher heap.
He missed all of 2023 with a torn patellar tendon from the World Baseball Classic but bounced back in 2025 for the Mets. He posted a 1.63 ERA and racked up 28 saves, showing everyone his explosiveness and command returned after the injury.
Career Numbers Cement His Elite Status
Over his career, Díaz has put up:
Those numbers matter in a world where relievers can be hit-or-miss. Díaz hasn’t just flashed brilliance—he’s kept it going long enough to be in the conversation with the best closers of his era.
Why the Dodgers Needed an Anchor in the Bullpen
Despite regular-season dominance, the Dodgers have spent the last few years searching for a reliable closer. In 2025, their bullpen posted a 4.27 ERA, which just isn’t good enough for a championship team.
That made a real lockdown closer a must. Díaz steps in right away as that anchor, giving Los Angeles a trusted finisher and letting Dave Roberts map out the late innings with more confidence.
Pairing Díaz with Tanner Scott to Build a Dominant Back End
The Dodgers already had lefty Tanner Scott, whose power arm and swing-and-miss stuff make him a top-tier setup man or alternate closer. Now with Díaz, they’ve got a nasty one-two punch that can shut down rallies from either side of the plate.
That gives them some options:
For a team with World Series dreams every year, this kind of bullpen setup is huge come October. Every pitch matters, and now the Dodgers finally have some late-inning muscle they can trust.
Championship Stakes and the Dodgers’ Financial Muscle
This signing just highlights how the Dodgers use their financial power to chase championships. They’re not shy about trading future assets—like draft picks, bonus pool money, or even some payroll wiggle room—for the certainty of proven, top-level talent.
With Díaz, Los Angeles gets exactly that. He’s a proven closer in his prime and brings an edge to a bullpen that’s been rebuilt for this season.
The price? It’s steep, and yeah, the risk is real. But the message couldn’t be clearer: the Dodgers are all-in, determined to turn a strong roster into a championship parade—again.
Here is the source article for this story: Dodgers reach 3-year deal with standout closer Díaz
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