Edwin Díaz Deal Leaves Dodgers Owing $1.06B Through 2047

The Los Angeles Dodgers just doubled down on their win-now philosophy and long-range financial wizardry. They’ve signed elite closer Edwin Díaz to a meticulously structured three-year, $69 million contract.

This deal, built on heavy deferred money and creative clauses, pushes the Dodgers even further as baseball’s boldest big spenders. They’re making moves that’ll echo for decades.

Edwin Díaz Joins Dodgers on Three-Year, $69 Million Deal

The Dodgers aren’t just picking up a big name—they’re getting the most dominant reliever of his generation. Díaz, a three-time All-Star who turns 32 in March, comes to L.A. after another lights-out season with the Mets.

In 2024, Díaz should slide right into the ninth inning of an already stacked Dodgers bullpen. That gives L.A. the kind of shutdown finisher who can swing October series and protect their high-priced rotation.

Contract Breakdown: Salary, Bonuses, and Deferrals

The contract’s structure matters just as much as the headline number. The Dodgers keep using deferrals as a strategic weapon, balancing luxury tax concerns while still offering top-of-market guarantees.

Key elements of Díaz’s contract include:

Each year from 2026–2028, the Dodgers will defer $4.5 million of Díaz’s salary. Those deferred chunks are then spread out over long-term payment schedules:

Díaz will still be getting checks from the Dodgers well into his fifties. It’s a structure that’s got echoes of baseball’s “forever” deals, but scaled up to modern superstar pricing.

The Conditional 2029 Option and Performance Incentives

Beyond the three guaranteed years, the Dodgers built in extra layers of protection and upside depending on Díaz’s health and usage. Here’s where things get pretty intricate.

The deal includes a conditional $6.5 million team option for 2029. That option becomes available if Díaz suffers a specified injury or undergoes certain surgeries.

The exact medical triggers aren’t public. Still, the intent is clear: the Dodgers get flexibility if something goes seriously wrong, maybe adding a fourth year at a lower cost.

Games-Finished Bonuses Could Boost Earnings Further

On top of the base money and deferrals, Díaz can earn up to $2.5 million in performance bonuses tied to games finished. In practice, he’s rewarded for locking down the closer role and staying on the mound in big moments.

If Díaz racks up games finished, it means he’s healthy, effective, and keeping Dodger wins safe. That’s exactly what the team wants, right?

An Elite Track Record at the Back of the Bullpen

This isn’t some wild gamble—it’s a bet on a proven force. Last season with the Mets, Díaz posted a sparkling 1.63 ERA with 28 saves, even as New York’s pricey roster stumbled out of postseason contention.

Over nine seasons with Seattle and New York, Díaz has built a resume that puts him among the top closers of his era:

Adding a profile like that to a roster already headlined by Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman? The Dodgers are showing they expect to play deep into October and want a closer who can slam the door.

Dodgers’ Deferred Money Machine: Over $1.06 Billion Committed

Díaz’s contract adds another brick to the Dodgers’ towering wall of deferred obligations. With this deal, Los Angeles now has more than $1.06 billion in future money committed across nine players.

Some of the biggest deferred contracts:

The strategy is simple but aggressive: use the franchise’s financial muscle and brand power to lure stars, then smooth out the payroll hit over decades. This lets the Dodgers stack superstars now while managing luxury tax and keeping flexibility year-to-year.

Díaz Walks Away from Mets Money to Chase a New Chapter

There’s an underreported wrinkle here—Díaz is leaving a lot behind. He’d agreed to a five-year, $102 million deal with the Mets, with deferrals stretching all the way to 2042.

By walking early, he’s giving up $38 million from that contract. That’s not a small number, and it’s got to sting a little.

Basically, Díaz swapped long-term Mets security for a shorter, high-AAV shot with the Dodgers. He’s betting on himself in a championship environment, and he’s looking to tap into Los Angeles’ more creative approach to contracts.

For the Dodgers, it’s another high-impact, high-precision move. For Díaz, it’s a shot to cement his legacy as the closer for baseball’s most star-studded contender—and to keep getting paid long after the last out is recorded.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Dodgers owe $1.06 billion in deferred money to 9 players through 2047 after Edwin Díaz deal