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Dodgers’ Edwin Diaz breaks silence on choosing LA over Mets in free agency
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- Dodgers’ Edwin Diaz breaks silence on choosing LA over Mets in free agency
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The Los Angeles Dodgers carry an aura of invincibility during the offseason. If the two-time reigning World Series champions are seriously interested in a free agent, they will likely snag him before winter's end. However, no one can actually outbid New York Mets owner Steve Cohen. If the Hedge Fund King covets a player, he has the financial means to bring him to Queens. But if the finances are similar, it will be tough to outsell LA. Just ask Edwin Diaz .
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The three-time Reliever of the Year signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers , which was reportedly only slightly larger than the deal the Mets offered him. During his introductory press conference on Friday, Diaz made it clear why he chose to join the Boys in Blue.
"It wasn't easy," the veteran right-hander said, per the SNY X account. "I spent 7 years in New York . They treat me really good, they treat me great. I chose the Dodgers because they're a winning organization. I'm looking to win. And I think they have everything to win. Picking the Dodgers was pretty easy."
Diaz contradicted himself with his "it wasn't easy/ it was easy" remarks, but one can probably make sense of what he means. The three-time All-Star closer enjoyed his time in New York, but he wants to reach the sport's pinnacle. Although the Mets still possess plenty of talent, no ballclub can currently match LA's reputation. The likeliest path to a World Series ring still appears to run through Chavez Ravine.
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Shohei Ohtani just won his second straight National League MVP Award, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman round out a fearsome trio and the Yoshinobu Yamamoto-led starting pitching rotation achieved superhero status in the playoffs. The one glaring weakness the Dodgers had entering the offseason was its bullpen. They just upgraded the unit in a big way.
Edwin Diaz tallied a spectacular 1.63 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings pitched last season. It is worth noting that the 31-year-old oscillated between elite and shaky during his six-season tenure with the Mets, but fans will give him the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise.
Diaz essentially echoed what other high-profile acquisitions have said after signing with Los Angeles : this is the place people go to win. New York and other big-market squads should take those words to heart as they move through the offseason.
Related: The heartwarming reason Edwin Diaz chose No. 3 with Dodgers
