Edwin Díaz’s $102 million, five-year contract with the New York Mets includes $26.5 million in deferred payments he won’t completely receive until 2042 and also has a club option for 2028 that could make the deal worth $118.25 million over six seasons, it was revealed Friday.
Díaz’s deal, announced Wednesday, set a record for dollars guaranteed to a relief pitcher. It includes a $12 million signing bonus payable in January and salaries of $17.25 million in both 2023 and 2024, and $17.5 million in 2025.
Díaz has a $18.5 million player option for both 2026 and 2027, and he must decide on both after the 2025 season. If they are exercised, the Mets have a $17.25 million option for 2028 with a $1 million buyout.
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If the Mets exercise the 2028 option, none of that season’s salary would be deferred.
Díaz gets a full no-trade provision through the 2025 season and starting Nov. 1, 2025, gets a limited no-trade provision allowing him to block trades to 10 teams.
The righthander would earn $100,000 for World Series MVP and Rivera/Hoffman reliever of the year, $50,000 for All-Star selection, Gold Glove, League Championship Series MVP or Cy Young, plus $25,000 for finishing second in Cy Young voting and $10,000 for third.
Díaz’s deal broke the previous high for a reliever, set when Aroldis Chapman returned to the New York Yankees after the 2016 season for an $86 million, five-year agreement. Chapman voided the last two years and reached a $48 million, three-year contract that brought his earnings to $104 million over six seasons.
In 2022, Díaz went 3-1 with a 1.31 ERA and 32 saves in 35 chances, making his second All-Star team. He had 118 strikeouts in 62 innings over 61 appearances as New York won 101 games — second-most in club history — and earned the top National League wild card for its first playoff berth in six years.
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Rays add Daniels to front office
The Tampa Bay Rays hired long-time Texas Rangers executive Jon Daniels as a baseball operations senior adviser on Friday.
Daniels spent 21 seasons with the Rangers, including the last 17 overseeing their baseball operations department, before he was let go in August. He was the longest-tenured top executive in team history. In 2005, at the age of 28, he became the youngest GM in Major League Baseball history.
The Rays promoted Kevin Ibach to vice president of player personnel. Also, Samantha Bireley was promoted to assistant director, baseball operations, and Jeremy Sowers was named assistant director of major league operations. Will Cousins, Chanda Lawdermilk and Carlos Rodriguez moved into assistant general manager roles.
Martinez opts out of Padres deal
Righthander Nick Martinez opted out of his contract with the San Diego Padres and became a free agent after going 4-4 with a 3.47 ERA in his return from four seasons of pitching in Japan. Martinez, 32, turned down a $6.5 million player option, instead triggering a $1.5 million buyout that ended his contract after one year and $7.5 million. If he had kept his contract, he would have been guaranteed $25.5 million from 2021-23 … The Colorado Rockies are bringing righthanded starter José Ureña back. The deal is for $3.5 million, according to a person familiar with the contract who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms weren’t released. … The Atlanta Braves signed righthander Nick Anderson to a one-year, non-guaranteed split contract. The former Rays reliever had elbow surgery in October 2021 and did not pitch in the majors last season.
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