Just minutes after we heard that the Toronto Blue Jays were interested in All-Star closers Robert Suarez and Edwin Diaz, Diaz is off the market.

According to multiple reports, Diaz has signed a contract with the world champion Los Angeles Dodgers, the team that beat the Blue Jays in the World Series.

At this time, the full terms are not known, but MLBTradeRumors predicted Diaz to get a four-year deal worth $82 million earlier this offseason. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that this deal is for three years. (Update: The deal is for $69 million over three years).

What this means for the Blue Jays

Well, on the positive side of things, Diaz has not signed in the American League, which means he won't be beating the Blue Jays - at least not regularly.

After losing Devin Williams to the New York Mets, there was a chance that Diaz could have drawn real interest from the New York Yankees. Instead, he goes to the National League, where baseball's best team just gets better.

On the negative, the Jays no longer have access to the best bullpen arm on the market. As they look to supplement a decent group from 2025, they'll need to pivot to Suarez, or to Pete Fairbanks, who they have also been connected to.

How the back-end of the bullpen looks now

As of this moment, Jeff Hoffman is still the closer and Louie Varland is still a leverage arm. Mason Fluharty is still the team's best lefty and Yimi Garcia will be back in the fold after suffering an injury in 2025.

About Diaz

One of the top closers in the game, the 31-year-old is a three-time All-Star who just went 6-3 with a 1.63 ERA for the Mets. He had 28 saves, striking out 98 batters in 66.1 innings.

He's also been extremely durable, making at least 54 appearances or more in seven of his eight full seasons (he made 26 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season).

He missed the entire 2023 season after a leg injury suffered in the World Baseball Classic. The Dodgers had money to spend after seeing Clayton Kershaw and others come off the books.

What's next for Toronto

Well, they will undoubtedly continue to explore the bullpen market, but they've also been heavily linked to offensive help this winter, with Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker remaining possibilities. We have also discussed the possibility of them trading for All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks, which they are rumored to be interested in doing.

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