New York Mets actually won Edwin Diaz trade

It was easy to mock the New York Mets and Brodie Van Wagenen when they acquired Edwin Diaz from the Mariners.

First, there was the idea that trading for a closer, no matter how dominant, was an exercise in futility. That was compounded when Robinson Cano’s bloated contract came along as well. To add to that possible disaster, the Mets sent a package of players headlined by top prospects Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn to Seattle.

Edwin Diaz trade looks good for New York Mets in retrospect

Diaz did not help his cause as he struggled in his first season in New York. Cano was popped with a second PED suspension and missed the 2021 season. However, Diaz started to come around in 2020 and has now arguably been the best reliever in baseball in 2022.

His performance has gone a long way towards the Mets remaining atop the NL East. Diaz has produced a 1.52 ERA and a 0.900 WHiP over his 53.1 innings, notching 29 saves while striking out 101 batters with just 17 walks.

Meanwhile, the Mariners did not exactly do well in terms of current value. Gerson Bautista was out of their system in 2021, signed briefly with the Giants, and is pitching in Mexico. Jay Bruce played in 46 games for Seattle before being traded for a player who has spent the past two seasons in Double-A. Anthony Swarzak was a disaster before being traded for Jesse Biddle and Arodys Vizcaino, the latter of which never threw a pitch for the Mariners.

Then there are the prospects. Dunn was a solid pitcher for Seattle, but he was traded as the centerpiece in the Reds’ return for Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suarez. The only player that is still in the Mariners organization is Kelenic, who has a whopping 62 OPS+ in his 500 major league plate appearances. Yes, he has hit 18 homers, but he has been a disaster in almost every facet of the game, worth -2.2 bWAR. Even his defense has been miserable as he has cost the Mariners 15 runs over 88 games in center.

The Mariners could easily frame that trade with the pieces they brought back in other deals. Jerry Dipoto is not one to sit still after all. And Suarez and Winker have been solid pieces, even if Suarez was a salary dump throw-in from Cincinnati. And maybe Kelenic can be something more than a Quad-A player.

But it comes down to the best player in the deal and what that player means to the roster. One could argue that the Mets would not be atop the division without Diaz, especially as the Braves are, once again, making a strong push for the division. Having that proven closer, and one who has been as dominant as Diaz has made the difference.

The New York Mets were mocked for their acquisition of Edwin Diaz years ago. With the gift of hindsight, it turns out the Mets made the right move.