Blue Jays miss on Edwin Diaz as reliever signs with Dodgers

Article content

ORLANDO, Fla. — Apparently Rogers money can’t buy all the big free agents on the market, as much as the Blue Jays and their well-backed general manager Ross Atkins would like to.

Adding to the potential frustrating of losing out on high-end reliever Edwin Diaz is that the closer ended up with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who upended the Jays in the seven-game Fall Classic.

Article content

The news broke on Tuesday morning here that Diaz, widely seen as the top reliever available on the market, has agreed to terms on a three-year, $69-million US deal.

Article content

The Jays had been widely rumoured to be interested in Diaz to bolster the back end of the bullpen and possibly supplant Jeff Hoffman as closer.

Diaz is a three-time all star who had 28 saves with the Mets last season while striking out 98 batters in his 66.1 innings of work and recording an ERA of 1.63.

The Jays, of course, have been one of the most active teams in free agency this winter, already locking up starters Dylan Cease (to a club-record seven-year, $210 million deal) as well as landing Cody Ponce from the South Korean league in a deal that has yet to be finalized.

In a meeting with the Toronto media here on Monday, Atkins indicated that the team is actively pursuing additions in several areas.

In other news here on Tuesday, slugger Kyle Schwarber agreed to a five-year, $150-million deal with the Phillies, ending a wild chase by a number of teams eager to sign the DH.

Since joining the Phillies in 2022, Schwarber has hit 187 home runs and is coming off a career-high 56 dingers this past season – which led the National League. Schwarber also led the Majors in RBIs this past season with 132 and finished second to Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani in NL MVP voting. 

Share this article in your social network