Edwin Díaz Signs Three-Year Deal with Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers have made another major statement of intent. They inked elite closer Edwin Díaz to a three-year, $69 million contract that reshapes their bullpen and resets the market for relief pitching across Major League Baseball.

This move pairs one of the game’s most dominant late-inning arms with a franchise that’s become synonymous with October baseball. The Dodgers are clearly all-in on shortening games from the seventh inning on.

Dodgers Land Edwin Díaz on Record-Setting Deal

The headline number is tough to miss: $69 million over three years. That’s an MLB-record $23 million average annual value for a reliever.

With one stroke of the pen, the Dodgers paid a premium to secure one of the sport’s most intimidating closers at the back end of their bullpen. Díaz’s new deal even outstrips his own previous benchmark contract — the five-year, $102.5 million pact he signed with the Mets.

He chose to opt out of that deal after just two seasons. That decision looks pretty smart now, as he turns past dominance and a successful return from injury into a richer short-term commitment from a perennial contender.

Why Edwin Díaz Commanded a Record AAV

You don’t hit $23 million per year as a reliever unless you’re in rarefied air. Díaz has put together nearly a decade of high-end performance, which convinced the Dodgers he’s worth top-of-the-market money for the most volatile role in the sport.

Since debuting with the Seattle Mariners in 2016, Díaz has consistently profiled as one of the game’s most overpowering arms. His mix of a high-90s fastball and a devastating, wipeout slider has produced a career strikeout rate hovering around 40 percent.

• Three-time All-Star with sustained dominance in both leagues
• Saved 57 games in 2018, cementing his status as a top-tier closer
• ERA under 2.00 in four different seasons, showcasing peak-level performance over multiple years

That 57-save campaign in 2018 put him squarely in the spotlight. The Mariners traded him to the Mets before the 2019 season.

After some early turbulence in New York, Díaz adjusted to the pressure of a major media market and eventually thrived as the centerpiece of the Mets’ bullpen.

Díaz’s Journey: From Seattle Phenomenon to LA Finisher

Díaz’s career arc has been as much about adaptation as pure talent. He arrived in Seattle as a live-armed prospect, quickly moved to the ninth inning, and never looked back.

In New York, he had to learn to succeed amid scrutiny and sky-high expectations. He emerged as one of the game’s most feared closers.

The Dodgers are betting heavily that this combination of experience and stuff will translate to Chavez Ravine. Pressure games are routine there, and October stages are the norm.

Postseason Poise and Injury Comeback

While Díaz’s postseason sample size remains limited, his performances in big spots have largely matched his regular-season dominance. He’s shown the ability to carry his electric stuff into October, a key factor for a Dodgers organization that measures itself by playoff success more than regular-season win totals.

The other pivotal chapter in his story came with the knee injury at the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Many wondered whether an explosive, lower-body–driven pitcher could truly return to prior form.

Díaz answered those questions, delivering a solid 2024 and an even stronger 2025 season. That convinced teams — and especially the Dodgers — that the elite version of Edwin Díaz was fully back.

How Díaz Fits into the Dodgers’ Bullpen Blueprint

This signing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. The Dodgers have been aggressively reimagining their bullpen, committed to stacking high-leverage options instead of relying on a single closer and a patchwork of middle relievers.

Before landing Díaz, Los Angeles had already explored some of the biggest names on the relief market, including Raisel Iglesias, Ryan Helsley, and Devin Williams. Those pursuits showed a clear organizational philosophy: pile up power arms, shorten games, and reduce the load on the rotation.

Pairing Díaz with Tanner Scott and Potentially More

The Dodgers laid the groundwork for this super-bullpen last offseason by signing Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million deal. Now, with Díaz added to the mix, Los Angeles has the makings of a late-inning gauntlet that few lineups will want to face.

And they might not be done. The club has shown interest in Robert Suarez, hinting at a possible three-headed monster at the back end of games.

In that scenario, the Dodgers could mix and match based on matchups, keeping Díaz fresh while still deploying him in the highest-leverage situations.

• Díaz anchoring the ninth as the primary closer
• Scott serving as a left-handed weapon for the toughest pockets of the order
• Potential addition of Suarez to deepen the late-inning options

A Clear Message from Dave Roberts and the Dodgers

Manager Dave Roberts hasn’t exactly kept quiet about wanting a proven high-leverage reliever. Díaz fits that need as well as anyone in baseball.

His arrival really shows the Dodgers’ bigger plan. In an era where bullpens can decide everything in October, they’re making sure they’re better stocked than anyone else.

This isn’t just about a flashy signing. By handing Edwin Díaz a record-setting contract, the Dodgers are making a point: locking down the last three outs—doing it with confidence—is worth every penny.

For a team that expects to play deep into October, that kind of investment could be the difference between another early exit and a parade. You can almost feel the urgency in every move they make.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Edwin Díaz signs three-year deal with the Dodgers: Sources