The New York Mets didn’t just upgrade their bullpen when they handed a three-year, $51 million deal to Devin Williams. They also sent a clear message to the rest of the league — if you want elite relief pitching, you’re going to have to pay a premium for it. For the San Diego Padres, that might be the moment the dream of a Robert Suarez reunion quietly died.
Even before the Mets jumped in, it was hard to see a clean path for the Padres to bring Suarez back. They’re already walking a tightrope with payroll, trying to patch a thin rotation, plug holes in the lineup, and still maintain what was arguably the strength of the 2025 team: the bullpen.