Diaz, while vilified at the start of his tenure with the Mets, became a folk hero. That status is certainly worth more than $3 million. Or is it?

Let’s be real…Edwin Diaz will NEVER be what he was in 2022. Diaz had a career year, the kind of year every player dreams about…when you are so locked in that you are invincible.

Diaz came over to the Mets after the 2018 season when he saved a league-leading 57 games for the Seattle Mariners with a 1.96 ERA. He averaged 15.2 strikeouts per nine innings while yielding only 2.1 walks per nine innings, and career best amazing 0.791 WHIP.

His first season in New York, 2019, was a tough lesson. He had the worst season of his career going 2-7 with a 5.59 ERA and only 26 saves (his lowest in a full season). His WHIP was 1.379.

He was better in the shorted 2020 season, pitching to a 2-1 record and 6 saves with a 1.75 ERA. He had a career best 17.5 strikeouts per nine innings but also a concerning career high 4.9 walks per nine innings.

In 2021 Diaz was a bit inconsistent again, as he did save 32 games, he had a record of 5-6 with a 3.45 ERA and WHIP of 1.053. His walks ratio went down, but so did his strikeouts.

Mets fans were frustrated with Diaz, but then came the 2022 season and he just blew everyone away…literally. Again, it was the kind of season every player hopes for. He went 3-1 with 32 saves and career best 1.31 ERA. His WHIP was down to near career best at 0.839, while his walks ratio went down to a career best 2.6 and strikeouts back up to near career best at 17.1.

Everything fell into place as he had Citifield rocking and the trumpets blaring in his honor.

But then Diaz got hurt in the World Baseball Classic and was forced to sit out the entire 2023 season. Even if he HADN’T gotten injured, the likelihood of him duplicating that season was nearly impossible.

The only closer to truly duplicate successes year after year, season after season, was Mariano Rivera. And even HE wasn’t perfect. Relievers, by their inherent nature, have ups and downs and when they go into slumps, it DIRECTLY affects the outcomes of the games. So while Diaz has still performed as a “dominant” reliever, that slider hasn’t been the same, and probably won’t be, since his injury. That’s just the way it is.

Diaz is going to be 32 years old during the 2026 season. So in terms of longevity of relief pitchers, what amounts to one-inning pitchers in today’s game, Diaz’s expected playing time still has a lot of life expectancy to it, one would think.

But to answer John’s question “Can you please tell me what the Mets are trying to accomplish?” I really can’t. I have no idea what the hell David Stearns is thinking. While I did not disagree with the trade of Brandon Nimmo, and I am literally on the fence about bringing back Pete Alonso on a long-term deal, I am perplexed by this.

This occurrence does NOT allow the Mets to improve, it certainly is not a move (or non-move) that allows them to be more athletic or improve their defense. Those are the stated goals. So what does allowing Diaz to sign with your major competition for dominance accomplish? We all like to be "armchair general managers" and we all think, like George Constanza, that WE could be that GM. Sometimes things are done that don't make ANY sense to fans, the media, even opposing baseball executives. It's quite the conundrum.

It's frustrating to me and I certainly don’t have an answer. But I believe that those trumpets are now going to play Taps.