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Report: Dodgers Sign Free Agent Closer Edwin Díaz

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports
By Katherine Wacker | Last updated Dec 9, 2025 12:59 PM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers just landed one of the biggest fish in the free agent pond, signing right-handed reliever Edwin Díaz , as first reported by Will Sammon of The Athletic. It is a three-year deal worth $69 million, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. It is a record-setting signing in terms of annual value for a reliever. That is a record that Díaz held himself in his previous contract with the New York Mets, a deal which Díaz opted out of for the final two years. He was rumored to be out of the price range that Los Angeles was willing to spend until negotiations heated up this morning.

Report: Dodgers Sign Closer Edwin Díaz to Three-Year Deal

Díaz Spells Relief

Closer Edwin Díaz’s deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers is for three years and $69 million, sources tell ESPN. The Dodgers, who were targeting bullpen help this winter, got the best closer on the market, setting a new AAV record for relievers.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 9, 2025

The Dodgers have addressed one of their biggest needs of the offseason with this signing. Despite their second straight World Series win, the bullpen was beset by injuries and ineffectiveness. The Los Angeles bullpen had a double-digit number of blown leads down the stretch in 2o25 and an ERA over 4.00. As a result, they used starters Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki out of the pen, among others. The Dodgers hope that Díaz, who had a 1.63 ERA and 98 strikeouts last season, can fix what has ailed them. The right-hander’s walk rate is also under 10% which is an added bonus.

Breaking the Mold

Those close to the Dodgers know that President of Baseball Operations Andrew normally likes to bargain shop for his bullpen help. However, he has paid a pretty penny for the top relievers the past two winters, Tanner Scott and now Edwin Díaz. The Dodgers are hoping for a better return on investment for Scott this upcoming year than last season, when he struggled with control and injuries.

The Chatter

Manager Dave Roberts said last night that Los Angeles would be content “running it back” with the majority of players from 2025. He added that, “adding a high-leverage reliever is never a bad thing.”

So much for a quieter offseason in Los Angeles.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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