Edwin Diaz’s stance has remained the same.
Even after opting out of the two remaining guaranteed years in his deal with the Mets to hit free agency, the All-Star closer would like to find his way back to Queens next season.
With him set to test the open market, though, that doesn’t appear to be a lock.
Speaking with reporters at the MLB Awards on Thursday, Diaz put the odds of a return at an even 50-50.
There have already been some talks between his representation and the Mets about a potential new contract, but concrete details haven’t been discussed.
Diaz says that he is simply looking for the best deal possible for his family.
“I love New York. I would love to stay in New York, but if I have to go another place, I would be happy,” Diaz told reporters, including Newday’s Laura Albanese. “I want to win a ring, so wherever I go, I want to win a ring and enjoy the time.
“I like the organization. You know, if they came with the best deal for me, I’d enjoy to stay with them, but at the end of the day, I don’t know what they’re thinking.”
The 31-year-old was once again Carlos Mendoza’s most-trusted late-inning arm this season, pitching to a 1.63 ERA and 0.87 WHIP while striking out 98 batters and locking down 28 saves.
This week at the MLB GM Meetings, David Stearns said that he’d love to have both Diaz and Pete Alonso back rocking orange and blue next season, but it’s too early to predict how things will play out.
“We love both Pete and Edwin. They’ve been great representatives of the organization,” Stearns said. “We’d love to have them both back. At this stage of the offseason, it’s really tough to predict any outcomes, but certainly, we would love to have both those guys back.”
The Mets did extend Diaz the qualifying offer, but he will most certainly decline that before Tuesday’s deadline.
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