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The Los Angeles Dodgers made their first big splash in free agency on Tuesday — the second day of Winter Meetings — signing closer Edwin Diaz to a three-year, $69 million contract.
Dodgers utility man and fan favorite Kiké Hernandez took to X (formerly Twitter) to comment on the Dodgers’ All-Star signing.
“This is how the Winter Meetings should be every year!!!”
Diaz has been one of MLB’s best closers for the past several years, and posted incredible numbers in 2025 — even by his standards. Even in a free agency class loaded with late-inning relievers, he was far and away the best option on the market.
More news: Dodgers Agree to Deal With Edwin Diaz
The right-hander has a career 2.82 ERA and has logged 253 saves through his nine MLB seasons, and will look to add a new layer of depth to a Dodgers bullpen which desperately needed a high-leverage reliever this offseason. His best season to date came in 2018, when he led MLB with a career-high 57 saves and placed eighth in AL Cy Young voting, but that’s not to say he hasn’t been elite since.
He had a 1.63 ERA through his 62 appearances in 2025, converting 28 of his 31 save opportunities throughout the season. He also made his third All-Star Game, marking the first time he had attended the Midsummer Classic since missing 2023 with injury.
The Dodgers weren’t the only team to make a big move Tuesday, though, as the Philadelphia Phillies brought back All-Star designated hitter Kyle Schwarber back after he finished runner-up to Shohei Ohtani in NL MVP voting in 2025.
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The Dodgers have already made a massive improvement to their roster, and with plenty of time remaining in the Winter Meetings, they could still make more additions to fuel their pursuit of a third consecutive World Series title.
Photo Credit: JOE LUMAYA/SPECIAL TO THE STAR / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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