DODGERS BULLPEN GOES RUTHLESS
The Los Angeles Dodgers secured the final, crucial piece of their championship puzzle today, signing three-time All-Star closer Edwin Díaz to a record-breaking three-year, $69 million contract.
The deal, which establishes a new benchmark for relief pitcher salaries with a $23 million AAV, instantly addresses the Dodgers’ most glaring weakness: a bullpen that finished $21^{st}$ in MLB with a 4.27 ERA last season and blew 27 saves.
Díaz, who posted a phenomenal 1.63 ERA and 28 saves in 2025, provides the unshakeable, lights-out presence that was sorely missing, making the Dodgers’ closing game not just stable, but ruthless against the rest of the league.
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FANTASY LEAGUES SHAKING: THE IMPACT
The signing has sent immediate, profound shockwaves through the fantasy baseball world, altering draft boards for the 2026 season.
| Fantasy Asset | Old Team | New Status in LA | Fantasy Impact |
| Edwin Díaz | Mets | Closer (RP1) | Value skyrockets. Moves to the top-winning team in baseball, securing maximum save opportunities. Expect his ADP to rise significantly. |
| Tanner Scott | Dodgers | Setup (RP2/3) | Value plummets. Moves out of the closer role after an inconsistent 2025. Will now primarily compete for Holds and late-inning ratios. |
| Dodgers Saves | N/A | Highly Concentrated | Save volume, which was scattered among 12 different pitchers in 2025, is now securely locked in Díaz’s hands. |
Fantasy experts are now calling Díaz a near-lock to be the first closer off the board in the majority of 2026 drafts, with some speculating he could challenge for 40-plus saves for the first time since his 57-save campaign in 2018.
RIVALRY AND DEFERRED PAYMENTS
The Mets, who reportedly offered Díaz a competitive three-year, $66 million deal, are left reeling, having lost their fan-favorite closer for only a marginal difference in money.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, utilized their legendary financial creativity to close the deal, including deferred payments—a tactic that helped them sign Shohei Ohtani—to lower the contract’s luxury tax impact. This maneuver ensures they maintain flexibility while securing the best closer on the market.
As rival agent Scott Boras aptly summarized, “Right now in our industry when a Goliath snaps his fingers, he seems to be getting what he wants.”
