Mets predicted to steal Yankees' $60M former closer to replace Edwin Diaz in bold, risky move originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Mets enter the Winter Meetings coming off one of the worst collapses MLB has ever seen. At one point, the club held the best record in the league, but the second half of the season was the exact opposite. The Mets’ drastic downfall was shocking and almost unprecedented.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“The New York Mets, losers of six straight, are down 6-0 and facing Jacob deGrom. Since starting 45-24 and owning the best record in MLB, the Mets are 31-47, better than only the Rockies, Twins and Nationals. This isn't a collapse. It's a disintegration,” Passan posted.
After the season ended, Pete Alonso opted out of his contract — and not long after, star closer Edwin Díaz did the same. These moves signaled that the Mets will need to be extremely active this offseason.
“Mets closer Edwin Díaz has opted out of the final two years and $38 million guaranteed on his contract, the club announced Tuesday, making Díaz a free agent for the first time in his career,” MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo wrote.
If the Mets don’t bring back Díaz, finding a proven closer becomes essential. JustBaseball.com’s Ryan Finkelstein believes the Mets will target former Yankee Devin Williams.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Instead, I will stay in the same division but predict that the New York Mets will win the bidding for Williams. If the Mets lose Edwin Diaz, this suddenly would feel like a slam-dunk fit to replace him,” Finkelstein wrote. “Williams is coming off a season where he pitched to a career-worst 4.79 ERA, as he struggled mightily facing the limelight of being the New York Yankees’ closer, eventually losing the role mid-season.”
Williams is coming off a forgettable season, and there may be no better opportunity for a rebound than in Queens. The Mets’ bullpen was underwhelming at times last year, so adding Williams would be a significant upgrade.
There’s no doubt he would get an opportunity to reestablish himself as a closer. However, another midseason collapse could force him into a permanent setup role for the remainder of his career.
More MLB news:
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- Yankees trade prediction lands $325M, 2-time World Series MVP, sparking Anthony Volpe dilemma
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