CALM WINTER EXPLODES INTO POWER MOVE
The Los Angeles Dodgers, who had spent the entire offseason downplaying their intentions to make another “big splash” after two consecutive World Series titles, shattered that narrative today. President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman shocked the league by quietly landing star closer Edwin Díaz on a record-breaking three-year, $69 million contract.1
The move, which establishes a new average annual value (AAV) record for a relief pitcher at $23 million, immediately reframes the Dodgers’ 2026 blueprint. Díaz’s acquisition plugs the team’s most glaring and persistent weakness: the bullpen, which struggled severely in 2025.2
Fans and executives alike are scrambling to understand how Los Angeles pulled off the most calculated bullpen coup of the modern era, exposing weeks of misdirection from the Dodgers front office.
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MISDIRECTION AND RIVAL FAILURE
The stunning move was a perfect demonstration of the Dodgers’ ability to strike decisively. For weeks, the market for Díaz was dominated by his former club, the New York Mets, and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Crucially, the Mets had signed reliever Devin Williams the week prior, a move Mets President David Stearns admitted “changed the calculus” in their pursuit of Díaz.3 While the Mets reportedly offered Díaz a very competitive three-year, $66 million deal, the Dodgers offered just $3 million more over the same term—but also the guaranteed chance to play for the back-to-back World Series champions.4
The deal confirms that Díaz was motivated to join a super-team and that the Dodgers were the only team willing to meet the high AAV Boras client was seeking.
REFRAMING THE 2026 BLUEPRINT
Díaz’s arrival instantly transforms the entire Dodgers bullpen, which finished 5$21^{st}$ in MLB with a 4.27 ERA in 2025.6
- Closure Found: Díaz, who is coming off a stellar season where he converted 28 of 31 saves with a 1.63 ERA, provides the definitive ninth-inning anchor the team desperately lacked.7
- Bullpen Depth: The acquisition allows other talented but struggling relievers like Tanner Scott (signed last winter for $72 million) to move into lower-leverage, high-impact set-up roles, providing crucial structure and depth.8
Friedman, known for his ability to hide his targets, used his cryptic comments about a “calm winter” to perfection. Now, with the ninth inning locked down, the Dodgers are expected to pivot their attention to adding a right-handed bat in the outfield, likely via trade.
The message is clear: the Dodgers’ financial strength and their culture of winning are the ultimate free-agent draws. As rival agent Scott Boras stated, “Right now in our industry when a Goliath snaps his fingers, he seems to be getting what he wants.”
