Insane asking price just took one Orioles' offseason target off the board

After losing relief pitcher Felix Bautista to a severe shoulder injury last season, finding a top-tier closer must be on the Baltimore Orioles' radar this offseason. While volatility is the name of the game when it comes to signing relief pitchers, scouring the free agent market is probably the Orioles' best bet to find a suitable replacement for Bautista.

There are plenty of high-leverage closers available this offseason. Pitchers like Robert Suarez, Raisel Iglesias, and Devin Williams all have experience closing out games in the ninth inning, but the prize of the offseason is undoubtedly three-time All-Star Edwin Diaz. After seeing his asking price, however, Mike Elias and the Orioles front office will surely be looking elsewhere to offset the loss of Bautista.

According to reports, Diaz is seeking a contract similar to the record-setting deal he inked with the New York Mets the last time he entered the free agent market. A five-year, $102 million deal for a closer who'll be entering his age-32 season is not one that Baltimore will entertain this winter.

Edwin Diaz's insane asking price just took the Orioles out of the mix

Diaz, like almost every reliever, has endured an up-and-down career. While his stuff has never been questioned, the right-hander has seen peaks and valleys throughout his Major League career.

Diaz the a prize trade acquisition in 2019. After leading the American League with 57 saves while pitching for the Seattle Mariners in 2018, New York assumed they landed the best closer in the game. Unfortunately for the Mets, they watched Diaz post a 5.59 ERA and blow five saves during his first year in Queens. He rebounded nicely the following season (and again in 2022), which helped him secure that record-breaking $102 million deal.

During his six seasons with the Mets, Diaz made 255 appearances with a 2.93 ERA and a 137 ERA+. Those numbers are good enough to get Diaz another multi-year deal, but his asking price seems mighty high for such an unreliable (and aging) arm.

Diaz might be able to find at least one sucker willing to fork over another $100 million, but don't expect the Orioles to be in the mix. While a backend reliever should undoubtedly be on Elias' shopping list this offseason, players like Kirby Yates, Emilio Pagán, and Pete Fairbanks have experience locking things down in the ninth inning and won't cost anywhere close to nine figures.