A major option for the White Sox bullpen in 2026 has officially hit the open market. The Mets announced on Tuesday that closer Edwin Diaz opted out of his contract, making him a free agent. On the surface, it looks like a great opportunity for the White Sox to continue to improve their roster as they work to climb out of the A.L. Central basement, but realistically, Diaz probably isn't coming to the South Side.
Many teams figure to be more interested in Diaz than they would be with other hot relievers, because Diaz is much more of a proven commodity. He's consistently been one of the best bullpen arms in the league since he debuted in 2016 with the Mariners. Diaz finished fifth in Rookie Of The Year voting that season, and he's been named an All-Star three times since then. So the White Sox figure to have lots of competition if they are interested in his services this season.
The Mets could make re-signing Diaz a priority this offseason. If he decides to go elsewhere, Diaz will probably have plenty of options to make a ton of money and chase a ring, too. Playoff hopefuls are perennially looking for bullpen help, especially when it comes to elite closers. Since the White Sox don't have real World Series aspirations this season (winning just 80 games would be a massive achievement), they would have to massively outbid the rest of MLB to bring in Diaz.
Free agent closer Edwin Diaz doesn't make sense for White Sox
Taking a look at the bigger picture, it doesn't make much sense for the White Sox to overpay on a closer, either.
With financial resources expected to be limited, the White Sox should probably prioritize other positions this offseason. The team needs an everyday first baseman, especially with young slugger Tim Elko sidelined for the year as he recovers from ACL repair surgery. The Sox also need more help in their starting rotation before they address the bullpen. The team had a 4.26 ERA in 2025, which ranked 20th in MLB. The starters were worse, though. They had a 4.39 ERA, good for 21st in the league.
The team may also have a closer option on the roster already. Grant Taylor made his MLB debut with the White Sox back in June, and impressed right away. It didn't take long for the team to give him a chance closing out games. Taylor had some bumps along the road, but finished the year on an unbelievable hot streak. Over the last month of the season, Taylor appeared in nine game and notched two wins, two holds and two saves. He struck 15 batters with only two walks, and most importantly, he gave up no runs.
Diaz had three years and $28 million left on his deal with New York, according to Spotrac. He's likely to make a lot more than that with his next deal, though, coming off a dominant year where he saved 28 games and put up a 1.63 ERA with 98 strikeouts and just 21 walks.