The New York Mets have officially extended a qualifying offer to their star closer, Edwin Diaz, ahead of the Thursday deadline for qualifying eligible free agents. This season’s qualifying offer stands at $22.05 million.
Despite the offer, Diaz is anticipated to decline as he explores free agency. Just last week, Diaz opted out of the remaining two years of his contract, which would have paid him nearly $33 million. This move was largely expected, and the 31-year-old has expressed a desire to rejoin the Mets.
After signing a lucrative five-year, $102 million deal following the 2022 season, Diaz missed all of 2023 due to a knee injury sustained during the World Baseball Classic. However, he made a comeback in 2024, achieving a 3.52 ERA and securing 20 saves over 54 games. In 2025, Diaz returned to elite form, recording a stellar 1.63 ERA. This marked the fourth time in his career he finished a season with an ERA under 2.00. He successfully converted 28 saves and earned his third All-Star accolade, his second as a Met. Despite early challenges, Diaz improved his walk and home run rates, concluding the season with a 248 ERA+, his career’s second-best.
Diaz’s four-seam fastball remains a formidable weapon, with hitters managing just a .133 average against it. His slider was equally effective, limiting hitters to a .179 average and a .269 slugging percentage, with a 44% whiff rate. Between April 26 and June 1, Diaz didn’t concede a single earned run over 13 games. Following a minor setback on June 2 at Dodger Stadium, he embarked on another streak, lasting 19 games without allowing an earned run (only one unearned run), striking out 28 of the 76 batters faced and issuing just six walks across 19 1/3 innings.
Since his trade from the Seattle Mariners to the Mets before the 2019 season, Diaz has accumulated a 2.93 ERA and 144 saves, ranking him third in the franchise’s history.
Last season, Diaz earned over $21 million, and with his record, he’s poised to command even more in free agency, potentially with the Mets or another team.
Players can only receive a qualifying offer once. Diaz was one of 13 players who were issued one. If the Mets fail to re-sign him, the team that does will have to forfeit a draft pick.
