During the 2026 MLB offseason, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets were two teams strongly linked to the same top players. Most notably, their bidding war for Kyle Tucker turned into a ridiculous $240 million four-year deal with L.A.
Advertisement
But another noteworthy move was the departure of an All-Star closer from the Mets to join the Dodgers on a three-year deal worth a little over $60 million total.
Manny Randhawa of MLB.com shared that 57 MLB.com staff members predicted that this new Dodgers closer, Edwin Diaz, would finish the season with the most saves in the National League, a brutal result for the Mets, but an ideal outcome for the Dodgers.
Edwin Diaz predicted to lead NL in saves in 2026
“Consistently one of baseball’s best closers over the past several years, Diaz saved 28 games with a 1.63 ERA and a 38% strikeout rate for the Mets last year,” Randhawa writes. “Now with the two-time defending World Series champion Dodgers, he might get even more chances to close games out in 2026.”
Advertisement
Diaz has been one of the better relievers in the Major Leagues the past few seasons. The 32-year-old closer is coming off a 1.63 ERA 2025 season for the Mets, though he only had 28 saves.
The year before, in 2024, he had just 20 saves in 54 games with a 3.52 ERA. But, back in 2022, across 61 appearances, he had a 1.31 ERA with 32 saves.
And all the way back in 2018 with the Seattle Mariners, Diaz had 57 saves with a 1.96 ERA in 73 games for the best year of his career.
More: Dodgers’ Roki Sasaki will return to rotation, not bullpen according Dave Roberts
Now on the Dodgers, with their major bullpen issues the last few seasons, Diaz will be entrusted as the full-time closer.
Advertisement
If he can consistently close out games for the Dodgers in 2026, then it would not be a surprise if he finished with the most saves in the National League.
Any full-time closer for the Dodgers would have a good chance at leading the league in saves. With how good the team is, the Dodgers should be in a winning position more often, which will lead to more save opportunities for Diaz.
Diaz finishing the 2026 season, his first with the Dodgers, with the most saves in the National League, would be a huge boon for Los Angeles. But, for the Mets, it would only make Diaz’s departure sting that much more than it already does.