Getty
The Toronto Blue Jays are looking to make amends following a heartbreaking defeat in the World Series. Team management is expected to spend big this offseason in an attempt to get over the hump. Keeping Bo Bichette is undoubtedly a significant priority for the Jays. They are, however, also set to improve in several other areas on the field.
Outside of Bichette, pitching will be a focus for Toronto. ESPN’s Jorge Castillo has reported that the club is looking to add starters and relievers in the coming months. As far as the bullpen goes, the Blue Jays are likely to be very active in negotiations with a new closer. This comes after the team’s typical closer, Jeff Hoffman, failed to finish off the ninth inning of game seven of the Fall Classic.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal is now claiming that Toronto execs have recently met with Edwin Diaz’s agent. Diaz recently opted out of his contract with the New York Mets and is now a free agent. The reliever is widely regarded as the top closer currently available on the market.
Reporter Expects Edwin Diaz to ask for a Five-Year, $100 million Contract
GettyEdwin Díaz is the consensus top closer in the free agent market.
In the article, Rosenthal reports that the Blue Jays are “targeting high-leverage relief” and are willing to spend big to get their man. The reporter also claims that the team prefers to move Hoffman to the eighth inning in order to add a marquee closer. Hoffman is, according to Rosenthal, open to making the switch.
Diaz, 32, chose to walk away from the final two years and $38 million remaining on his previous deal with the Mets. He is set to rebuff a potential one-year, $22 million qualifying offer from New York as well. According to Rosenthal’s sources, Diaz is looking for a similar deal that he received in 2022. This particular contract was a five-year deal, worth just over $100 million.
Potentially paying a closer in their mid-thirties around $20 million per year could be risky business for any team. Nevertheless, the Blue Jays could view the move as high-risk, high-reward. Diaz recently recorded 28 saves to go along with a 1.63 ERA during the 2025 season with the Mets. He also picked up his third Reliever of the Year award on November 13th.
Blue Jays, Mets Face Plenty of Competition in Chasing Star Closer
Ahead of the MLB awards, Diaz was asked by reporters about his future. According to Mark Feinsand, the dynamic closer rated his chances of re-signing with the Mets at “50-50.” The comment surely did not put Mets management or their fans at ease.
While the Blue Jays would love to sign Diaz, they will have plenty of competition. Along with the Mets, several other teams are positioning themselves to be involved in the sweepstakes. Rosenthal has specifically named the New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, and Atlanta Braves as key players in the negotiations.
Atlanta is one team to particularly keep an eye on. Chairman Terry McGuirk told the Sports Business Journal on November 5 that the Braves expect to be a top-five payroll team in 2026. Ultimately, Toronto may very well have to outbid other Diaz suitors. The team has, however, shown in recent years that they are willing to spend significant money to bring in top talent.
Christopher Moore Christopher Moore has been a Heavy.com contributor since 2025. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has published thousands of articles reporting on multiple professional sports. He was previously a sports writer for World Soccer Talk, the Yahoo! Contributor Network, and the Maryland Sports Blog. More about Christopher Moore
More Heavy on Blue Jays
Loading more stories
