The Dodgers get their hands on Edwin Diaz

If we had just witnessed one of the slowest starts to a winter season in recent years, it was a different story this morning (Tuesday). After Kyle Schwarber's return to the Philadelphia Phillies, the Los Angeles Dodgers have now acquired star reliever Edwin Diaz, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic.

The deal is said to be for three years and would pay Diaz no less than $69 million, a record for the annual value of a reliever. It's a Dodgers classic: fewer years than the player wants, but a lot more money.

The 31-year-old spent six seasons (he didn't play in 2023) with the New York Mets, during which he saved 144 games, the third-highest total in team history in this regard, after saving 109 more in three years for the Seattle Mariners. So, speaking of the Mets, that means Devin Williams will be the go-to guy in the ninth inning next year. Ouch.

Getting back to Diaz, he was particularly effective in 2022, where he finished ninth in the National League Cy Young Trophy voting and sixteenth in the same league's MVP voting.

It's a big haul for the Dodgers, who are already considered the best lineup in all of MLB, but still had a major deficiency in the relief bullpen. Los Angeles relievers lost 33 games last year, four more than the Major League Baseball average, but the California outfit still won their second consecutive World Series title.

Should Tanner Scott return to his former form, the Dodgers will be tougher than ever to beat. Especially as this signing means that Roki Sasaki will be back in an already well-endowed starting rotation.

This content was created with the help of AI.