Reese Kaplan -- Free Agent Options if Diaz Hits the Road

The final quick look at free agency concerns the need for the Mets once again needing to rebuild their bullpen.  We’ll leave the Edwin Diaz opt-out issue aside for now and instead look at who else is out there available to join whomever else is going to be out there to support the still unknown starting pitchers.  We’ll only consider closers rather than setup men (who are also badly needed in Queens). 

At the top of the list after Diaz would be Robert Suarez, age 35, who has an opt-out in his contract.  Having started his career in the Mexican and Japanese baseball leagues Suarez didn’t hit the majors until he was already 32 years old.  The Padres took a gamble and it paid off big time.  This past season he earned $10 million and got 40 saves.  If he does not opt out his salary drops to $8 million.  Methinks he’s going to hit the Edwin Diaz route. 

Already mentioned previously is Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias.  Another elder statesman, he’s 35 this season and has 253 saves in his big league career while maintaining an ERA under 3.00.  His ending salary with the Braves is $16 million which seems fair for what he’s done but he is likely getting less in 2026 as he is turning 36. 

We will skip over closer Andrés Muñoz of Seattle who has a club option and after finishing the year with 38 saves and a 1.73 ERA it’s kind of hard to picture them declining it. 

Next on the list surprisingly is former Met Ryan Helsley.  His metrics mostly reflect what he did with St. Louis and in his last few weeks of the season he started looking at lot more like the dominant closer he had been rather than the batting practice pitcher he’d been with the Mets.  His ending salary with the Cardinals was $8.2 million and it will be interesting to see what he is going to be offered after pitching in New York to an ERA over 7.00. 

Also previously recommended, Devin Williams is coming off his only bad year with the Yankees after a highly impressive career in Milwaukee.  Even with his 4.79 ERA in 2025 he still owns a 2.45 ERA for his entire career.  At $8.6 million he’s either a closer in waiting or an expensive setup guy. 
 

One very interesting elder statesman is former Dodger, Brave, Red Sox and Angels closer Kenley Jansen.  He’ll be turning 38 during the 2026 season but he finished 2025 with 29 saves and a 2.59 ERA.  His velocity is a bit down from his earlier days but obviously he’s adjusted.  He earned $10 million last year and likely would earn half of what Edwin Diaz would get with a new contract. 

Tampa Bay Rays closer Pete Fairbanks is not as well known as some others on this list but he’s quietly put together a solid career.  The past three years he’s had respectively 25, 23 and 27 saves while sharing the role accompanied by a career ERA of just 3.19.  The Rays have a $7 million option for 2026 or a $1 million buyout which would represent nearly doubling his salary from 2025.  He’s worth consideration if he becomes available.