In completing their back-to-back World Series championship run, the Los Angeles Dodgers lacked one critical element: A lockdown closer.

On Dec. 9, they took care of that, agreeing to terms with All-Star reliever Edwin Diaz, as first reported by The Athletic.

Diaz, who will be 32 on opening day, spent the past seven seasons with the Mets after beginning his career with the Seattle Mariners.

It’s the second consecutive winter the Dodgers have spent big money on a reliever, after their four-year, $72 million investment in lefty Tanner Scott went sour. While the Dodgers expect Scott to bounce back in 2026, he was not on the World Series roster. The club had to tap Yoshinobu Yamamoto to pitch the final 2 ⅔ innings of their 11-inning victory in World Series Game 7 – one night after throwing 96 pitches to win Game 6. 

A three-time Reliever of the Year (2018, 2022 and 2025) threatened to break his own record for largest free agent contract for a relief pitcher, the five-year, $102 million deal that he signed with the Mets after the 2022 season. Diaz opted out of the final two years of that deal to become a free agent for the second time in three years.

Diaz’s exit from New York was at least partially sealed when the Mets agreed to a three-year, $51 million contract with two-time All-Star Devin Williams.

Diaz missed the entirety of 2023 – the first year of his contract – after suffering a freak knee injury celebrating a win in the World Baseball Classic. He returned to action in 2024 and was inconsistent early in the year, but returned to form with a 2.73 ERA in his last 30 games and helped the Mets reach the NLCS.

The Mets acquired Diaz and Robinson Cano in a trade with the Seattle Mariners after the 2018 season, a deal that initially looked to be an all-time blunder as Diaz had a miserable first year with New York. He pitched better in the shortened 2020 season and was more reliable in 2021, but re-claimed the mantel as one of baseball’s top closers in 2022 with a 1.31 ERA, 32 saves and 118 strikeouts in 62 innings as the Mets won 101 games.

Edwin Diaz stats

Edwin Diaz has career 253 saves and a 2.82 ERA in nine MLB seasons, making his debut for the Mariners in 2016.

2025: 28 saves, 1.63 ERA
2024: 20 saves, 3.52 ERA
2023: Did not play due to injury
2022: 32 saves, 1.31 ERA
2021: 32 saves, 3.45 ERA
2020: 6 saves, 1.75 ERA (COVID season)
2019: 26 saves, 5.59 ERA
2018: 57 saves, 1.96 ERA
2017: 34 saves, 3.27 ERA
2016: 18 saves, 2.59 ERA