Diaz's Exit Adds Extra Spice To Mets-Dodgers Broadcast On Jackie Robinson Day

The New York Mets will get their first look at old friend and former closer Edwin Diaz during a noteworthy ESPN broadcast, as the network announced that its first MLB game next season will be on April 15 with the two-time reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers host the Mets on Jackie Robinson Day.

The broadcast represents part of a revamped role for ESPN as part of a reworked three-year deal, according to an AP story via ESPN. ESPN becomes the rights holder for MLB.TV, baseball’s out-of-market streaming package, as part of the deal, along with the in-market streaming rights to six teams whose games will be produced by MLB: the San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners.

The 30 games will be broadcast mostly on weekday nights during the summer months, but the Mets-Dodgers broadcast is a special day. Jackie Robinson Day was long a promotional favorite of former commissioner Bud Selig, and many different promotions have been held to commemorate Robinson’s achievements, both on and off the field.

"Our exclusive 30-game linear package, which includes new tentpole events like our Memorial Day game and the second-half opener, will be a great complement to the thousands of games that we'll stream as part of our exclusive MLB.TV rights," said Julie Sobieski, ESPN's senior vice president of league sports programming and acquisitions.

As for the on-field action, the moves made by both the Mets and Dodgers will be closely reexamined both before and during this contest. Diaz stated at the end of the season that he was looking for a new five-year deal to reset the closer market, so he opted out of his deal to hit the free agent market.

But the Mets balked at Diaz’s initial demands, and instead they went across town to sign New York Yankees closer Devin Williams, who insisted he would have been happy to be Diaz’s setup man.

Diaz had a different move in mind, however. He was rumored to be going to the Toronto Blue Jays when free agency started, but instead the former Mets closer pivoted and took a three-year deal with the Dodgers for a reported $69 million. The Dodgers will be heavily favored in this one, but the possibility that Diaz or Williams could end up finishing off this game adds a spicy subplot that will doubtless spark plenty of debate between the two fan bases.