Report: Mets Making Díaz, Nimmo Top Internal FA Priorities

This upcoming offseason is a huge one for the New York Mets across the board, and it appears the front office’s biggest job will be attempting to convince Edwin Diaz and Brandon Nimmo to remain in Queens.

While the Astros and the Phillies are battling it out for the World Series, the rest of Major League Baseball is scrambling ahead of free agency opening the morning after the conclusion of the World Series. That includes the Mets who have a plethora of key free agents to re-sign.

And, per Andy Martino of SNY, the Mets are prioritizing Diaz and Nimmo above all other internal free agents, while they expect to maintain open and consistent communication with Diaz as soon as free agency begins, which could be as soon as this upcoming weekend.

It is no surprise that Diaz and Nimmo have both emerged as must-keeps for the Mets. After all, both underlined their importance to the team throughout 2022 and both perform key and unique roles. While Jacob deGrom is elite and special in his own right, the Mets will still have Max Scherzer at the top of their rotation should their longtime ace opt to chase a big ticket deal elsewhere in free agency.

Instead, general manager Billy Eppler and his team are making the right decision by going all out to convince Diaz and Nimmo to extend their stays in Queens. Diaz established himself as the best closer in all of baseball in 2022 and, as such, he is now expected to become the highest paid closer in the history of the game. There are some experts who believe Diaz could get a five-year deal worth $100 million. That would be record money for a closer.

It appears steep but that is the price you pay for an elite shutdown arm that can help you win a World Series. That’s exactly what Diaz is and he has earned a monster payday after a stellar 2022. The veteran pitched to an outstanding 1.31 ERA with 118 strikeouts and 32 saves in 62 innings pitched, to go along with a 0.83 WHIP.

The advanced metrics are more impressive. Per Baseball Savant, Diaz ranked in the 100th percentile in 2022 when it came to xBA, strikeout rate, xSLG, xERA/xwOBA and whiff rate. He was in the 99th percentile in fastball velocity, the 97th percentile in chase rate, the 96th percentile in average exit velocity, and the 93rd percentile in barrel percentage.

That is all pretty emphatic but the eye test was just as fun to study too. Diaz mowed through lineups with a filthy slider and a nasty fastball. The righty was invincible on the mound at times, giving up just three home runs all year and he also came up clutch in the Wild Card series by throwing 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out two and walking none.

Plus, while his historic 2022 season will get the headlines, Diaz has actually been nails for the Mets for a while now. If you zoom out and look at the bigger picture, the two-time All-Star has been a consistent force and has delivered time and time again. In 150.1 innings over the last three seasons, Diaz boasts a 2.27 ERA, a 1.78 FIP and 0.99 WHIP, while striking out a jaw-dropping 257 batters. That equates to a stunning 15.4 over 9, and is exactly why the Mets are willing to pay what it takes to keep their premier shutdown guy as they chase a World Series ring.

As for Nimmo, the longtime Met established himself as an elite leadoff hitter in 2022 and he was a reliable offensive force at the top of the lineup and in big spots. He slashed .274/.367/.433 with an .800 OPS, while hitting 16 homers, 30 doubles, a career-high seven triples and 64 RBI. Nimmo also walked 71 times and had three stolen bases, as well as a 5.0 WAR.

Perhaps more impressive is the fact that the veteran elevated his game in crunch time down the stretch, hitting .308/.417/.505 with a .922 OPS to along with five doubles, two triples, four home runs, 19 walks and 20 RBI in September and October combined. Nimmo was able to set the table for the Mets offensively, coming up with big hits and setting the tone for the rest of the lineup.

Furthermore, via fWAR, Nimmo ranked as the 27th most-valuable player in 2022, just ahead of Mariners phenom rookie Julio Rodriguez. Nimmo was also in the 91st percentile in OAA (Outs Above Average) in 2022, underlining his importance in the field too. Nimmo has established himself as the straw that stirs the drink for this Mets offense and he should be considered a key part of this lineup moving forward.

It won’t be easy for the Mets given that Nimmo is a Scott Boras client but, given what he and Diaz offers this team and the key roles they both play, they should both be considered absolute must-keeps and their potential returns could set the tone for what is another gigantic offseason at Citi Field.