This Mets move reportedly led to Edwin Diaz choosing to sign with Dodgers

Almost immediately after it was learned in early December that the New York Mets were signing reliever Devin Williams to a three-year contract, reports indicated the Mets were also still attempting to bring free-agent closer Edwin Diaz back to the organization. 

Thus, some understandably were stunned when the news broke on Tuesday that Diaz had accepted a three-year, $69M deal to join the Los Angeles Dodgers. The immediate thought was that the Mets could have at least matched that offer, but it appears a breakup involving the Amazins and Diaz had been coming.

Could Mets have avoided losing Edwin Diaz to Dodgers?

Per Julia Stumbaugh of Bleacher Report, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan revealed during a Tuesday night edition of "SportsCenter" that Diaz "was not happy" that he "did not get a call giving him a heads up" about the Mets' signing of Williams. Additionally, Alexis Diaz, Edwin's brother, spent time with the Dodgers last season and "reported back to him that everything there is as great as they say." 

On Tuesday evening, MLB insider Andy Martino of SNY said during the "Baseball Night in New York" program that Mets owner Steve Cohen "didn't get the chance" to match the Dodgers' offer to Edwin Diaz. 

"They were in a bidding process, and they didn't know it was over," Martino said about the Mets losing Diaz. 

"The Mets’ final offer was three years and $66M with deferrals," Anthony DiComo of the MLB website shared. "Although team officials made it known they could still increase their offer, Diaz chose the Dodgers before that happened. A person with knowledge of his thinking indicated that the offers were not necessarily close despite the slim difference in real-world money, which is why Diaz's camp didn’t feel obligated to circle back to the Mets at the end."

According to Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News, Williams said on Tuesday "that he expected to see Edwin Diaz return to the Mets" this offseason. Williams is now on track to serve as the Mets' closer in 2026. 

David Stearns sends message to Mets fans amid Edwin Diaz reports

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns couldn't comment directly on Diaz's signing with the Dodgers since the move wasn't official when Stearns appeared on Tuesday's edition of SNY's "Mets Hot Stove" show. Nevertheless, he sent a message to upset Mets fans about the club losing arguably the best overall closer in MLB. 

"I also understand that our fans naturally have an attachment, as we do as well have an attachment, to players who have been here and have performed here for a long time," Stearns said, per Ben Krimmel of SNY. "And we do take that into account, and it is part of the decisions that we have made. We also have to be very cognizant of making the decisions that are going to allow us to compete now and also fit in with the future years when we want to consistently be a World Series-caliber team and World Series-caliber organization."

Earlier this offseason, the Mets traded fan-favorite outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers for second baseman Marcus Semien. Currently, first baseman Pete Alonso is flirting with would-be suitors amid the Mets' continued desire to avoid having to lock him down via a long-term contract. 

Stearns and Cohen may now need to take whatever steps are necessary to bring Alonso back to the Mets to appease a fan base that was already angry about the club missing the playoffs this fall.