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The theme of the New York Mets offseason this year could certainly be change as the franchise has double-digit free agents that includes most of their 2022 bullpen. And we aren’t just talking about quantity, it’s the best closer in baseball and two of the Mets other high-leverage arms from the 2022 season.

MMO reported on Wednesday that getting closer Edwin Díaz a new deal to stay with the Mets is one of the team’s top priorities and that they would like to get it done before he hits free agency. Certainly makes sense for a team that will need to add/re-sign a ton of arms only to get their pitching back to where it was during the 2022 season.

Let’s take a look at all the Mets’ free agent relievers:

That leaves Drew Smith and Stephen Nogosek as the only two relievers under contract for 2023 that pitched at least 20 innings out of the pen this season.

Díaz is obviously the big fish here coming off a season in which he posted a 1.31 ERA and had the third-highest strikeout percentage in MLB history at 50.2%. However, Ottavino played a vital role in the Mets’ pen as well with a 2.06 and a team-high 65 2/3 relief innings. Lugo provided 65 innings of solid relief as well with his 3.60 ERA.

Rodríguez finished strong in his lone season with the Mets in which he tossed 50 innings. May looked like himself again to end the season with a 3.24 ERA in 18 games following a stint on the injured list. Even Hunter provided quality innings at times with a 2.42 ERA in 18 games.

One of the unsung heroes of the Mets 2022 season was certainly Trevor Williams. The right-hander started nine games, finished five, and made 30 overall appearances this season. He had a 3.21 ERA and pitched the sixth most innings on the team with 89 1/3. Since coming over in the trade that also netted the Mets Javier Baez and sent prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong to the Cubs last trade deadline, Williams has a 3.17 ERA in 122 innings in New York.

The type of versatile pitcher that Williams is will be an important piece for 2023 with the free agent relievers I mentioned and the fact that up to four members of the Mets’ 2022 rotation could be free agents this offseason as well.

This offseasons free agent reliever class isn’t one booming with a ton of quality arms so it will be important for the Mets to bring back at least a couple of the aforementioned relievers that pitched well for them in 2022 and Díaz feels like a must.