The Mets extended the qualifying offer to Edwin Diaz on Thursday, in an unsurprising move, but across town, the Yanks extended the same to Trent Grisham, which wasn’t necessarily seen as a given.
This year’s qualifying offer is worth $22.025 million. Players have until Nov. 18 to decide if they accept or reject the offer.
For Diaz, it is likely a no-brainer that the star closer will reject the offer, considering he just declined his $38 million player option for 2026. Grisham is more complicated. While he is coming off a career year, his previous six MLB seasons were underwhelming offensively, and he may decide to take the $22.025 million and prove 2025 was no fluke before hitting free agency, or he could decline the offer and try to seek a long-term payday to capitalize on his out-of-nowhere season in which he hit 34 home runs and posted a 125 OPS+.
Diaz was his usual dominant self, earning an All-Star selection and pitching to a 1.63 ERA in 66.1 innings of work, once again finishing as one of the best relievers in baseball.
The Yankees and Mets would receive a compensatory draft pick if either player declines the offer and signs with another team in free agency. Any other team that signs them would lose a draft pick.
Grisham could still be traded if he accepts the qualifying offer, but accepting would crowd an outfield where the Yankees are already expected to pursue Cody Bellinger and bank on Jasson Dominguez to develop into a more formidable producer. Meanwhile, Spencer Jones is nearing the majors, and Kyle Tucker is a star on the open market that will command a big contract.