Edwin Diaz sends message to Mets fans about signing with Dodgers

Pockets of New York Mets fans still don't understand why team president of baseball operations David Stearns seemingly didn't put up more of a fight before star closer Edwin Diaz signed a three-year, $69M deal to join the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency. 

Diaz pitched for the Mets from 2019 through this past season. He recently spoke with David Lennon of Newsday about how passionate supporters of the Amazins have reacted to his surprising departure. 

Edwin Diaz open to eventually returning to Mets? 

"I understand the fans are mad with me because I left the team," Diaz acknowledged. "But I got to make the best choice for me and my family. I’ll be there for three years. You never know if I could end up again with the Mets. I’ll have my three years with the Dodgers, and then we’ll see what happens."

Diaz's Mets tenure was filled with ups and downs that included the 31-year-old missing the entire 2023 MLB season due to a torn patellar tendon in his right knee that he suffered while celebrating a Puerto Rico win in the World Baseball Classic. During the 2024 campaign, he had to serve an automatic 10-game suspension following a sticky-stuff ejection.

That said, Diaz was often viewed as unhittable when at his best with the Mets. He won the National League Reliever of the Year Award for his efforts during the 2022 and 2025 seasons, and his walkouts from the bullpen during home games helped him become a beloved fan-favorite. 

In February, Anthony DiComo of the MLB website shared that the Mets offered Diaz "a three-year, $66M contract and indicated they would be willing to increase that bid." However, DiComo added that a source said "Diaz's camp didn’t expect the Mets to increase their offer in a meaningful way." 

Leaving the Mets was "hard" for Edwin Diaz

It's unclear if Diaz was actually upset about the fact that he "did not get a call giving him a heads up" that the Mets were signing reliever Devin Williams to a three-year deal this past fall. During his chat with Lennon, Diaz suggested he simply made a business decision following the 2025 season. 

"It was hard to make a decision like that because I’d been there for seven years, so I spent almost my entire career with the Mets," Diaz added. "Being in that position, that’s a decision I made with my family. I always put my family in part of my decision. My wife, my kids. My older son is knowing more about baseball, so it was part of the decision. But at the end of the day, I was a free agent. I was trying to get the best deal for me and my family, and that ended up with the Dodgers."