Dodgers Receive High Praise For Edwin Díaz Signing

After winning consecutive World Series titles, the Los Angeles Dodgers made it evident during the Winter Meetings that they want to become the first team to three-peat since the 1998-00 New York Yankees, even if no one explicitly stated it.

The Dodgers did not have to after signing three-time All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to a three-year, $69 million contract. The acquisition itself demonstrated how serious the organization is about expanding its dominant run into the future. Recently, ESPN’s David Schoenfield and Bradford Doolittle praised the Dodgers for acquiring Díaz, giving them an “A” for the move.

Advertisement

“It's a bad idea to sign a relief pitcher to a long-term contract. But it's not a bad idea to sign Edwin Diaz to a long-term contract, and it's especially not a bad idea for the Los Angeles Dodgers to do so,” they wrote. “You could get really cynical or optimistic about this -- whether you're a Dodgers fan or not.”

“The Dodgers' bullpen plan a year ago was to stock the roster with a ridiculous list of big-name relievers who had all worked in the closing role for various teams. The depth chart was eye-popping: Blake Treinen, Tanner Scott, Evan Phillips, Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech. The plan did not work. Each of those pitchers struggled with injuries, performance or both.”

Late inning relief was really one of the only glaring weaknesses Los Angeles had, and it almost cost the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays if not for the heroics of Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 7. Now, the front office has addressed it in home run fashion.

“That being the base, you could point at the Diaz signing as an expression of Dodger hubris: They did not learn the most basic of bullpen-building lessons, that there is no such thing as certainty with that position group, no matter how much money you spend on it. Of that quintet, only Scott and Treinen remain on the roster.”

Advertisement

“So, sure, any and every reliever is a risk, but for the Dodgers, Diaz is more than worth it. Few relievers truly separate themselves from the pack and maintain their status for an extended period of time. Diaz is one of them, and this deal -- strange as it is to say about a reliever -- is a bargain, even if the $23 million average annual value is a record for a bullpenner.” Díaz's numbers certainly speak for themselves.

“Over the past five years, only Emmanuel Clase has earned more fWAR (8.1) than Diaz among relievers, and Diaz missed the entire 2023 season with a knee injury. During that span, only Mason Miller has a higher strikeout rate among relievers (14.3 K/9 for Diaz) and only Cade Smith has a better fielding-independent ERA than Diaz's 2.14.”

Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!

It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.

Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!