New York Yankees Are Interested In Edwin Diaz

One of the biggest priorities for the Yankees this offseason is going to be fixing their bullpen, which was their biggest weak point last season. New York is reportedly showing interest in Edwin Diaz, who is the top reliever available on the market. The Yankees would have to pay a high price if they want to land him, and haven’t paid a back-end reliever big-time money since Aroldis Chapman.

Yankees Searching For Bullpen Help

After acquiring a ton of arms at the trade deadline, the Yankees are looking to add more arms this winter. Brian Cashman added relievers with high velocity in Camilo Doval and David Bednar, and Diaz would fit in that group. He throws a four-seam fastball that sits in the upper 90s, and pairs that with an elite-level slider. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic is reporting that the New York Yankees are among the teams showing interest in the star closer.

We saw last year how many games Devin Williams single-handedly blew. When you lose the tiebreaker to your division rivals, it shows how important every single game is during the season, and the Yankees’ bullpen was the reason they had to start in the Wild Card Round. If they were to sign Diaz, they would finally have a shutdown closer, which is something they haven’t had in years.

Clay Holmes and Devin Williams couldn’t be trusted in big moments, but Bednar did a nice job in the small sample size we saw from him last season in the Bronx.

Bringing in Diaz would create a very interesting lineup for their bullpen. Diaz would slot in as their closer, meaning Bednar would become the setup man. Slotting Bednar into that role would give Aaron Boone more room to work with, as he can pitch multiple innings in one outing. 

How Much Will Diaz Cost?

Diaz will most likely command a 4-5 year deal with an annual value of $20 million. This contract would make him the highest-paid reliever in all of baseball, surpassing Josh Hader, who makes $19 million per year with the Houston Astros. Diaz had a rough year in 2024, but in 2023 and 2025, he’s had a sub-2.00 ERA. 

While a return to the Mets remains the most likely outcome, a bidding war between top contenders could change things quickly. I don’t see the Yankees being the team that pays the price for Diaz’s services, as they need to fill multiple holes in their lineup and the bullpen.

A realistic option for New York could be Pete Fairbanks or even a reunion with Luke Weaver. We saw in 2024 how elite Luke Weaver can be, and his struggles this past season were likely from a hamstring injury he suffered early on in the season.