The Tampa Bay Rays have exercised a 2026 club option for infielder Yandy Díaz and added a vesting option for 2027, pending 2026 performance thresholds.
In 2024, Díaz, 33, hit .281/.341/.414 (158-for-563) with 31 doubles, one triple, 14 home runs, 65 RBI and 50 walks over a career-high 145 games, leading the Rays in batting average and on-base percentage (min. 350 PA). He recorded a franchise-record 20-game hitting streak from June 7-28, batting .360 (32-for-89) during the run. He also tallied an RBI in a club-record-tying eight straight games from June 19-26, matching streaks by Evan Longoria (2009), Ben Zobrist (2009), Carlos Peña (2008) and Rocco Baldelli (2004). Díaz has recorded 30 doubles in each of the last three seasons since 2022, making him one of four AL hitters to accomplish the feat along with Boston’s Rafael Devers, Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cleveland’s José Ramírez.
Rays 1B Yandy Díaz representing Latino Sports after being named a finalist for the 2023 American League LatinoMVP award- Image Credit: Tampa Bay Rays
In 2023, Díaz became the first player in Rays history to win an AL batting title, posting a franchise-record .330 (173-for-525) average. He became the third Cuban-born player in major league history to win an AL/NL batting crown, joining Houston’s Yuli Gurriel (2021) and Hall of Famer Tony Oliva, who claimed three with Minnesota (1971, 1964-65). Díaz also earned his first career All-Star selection, starting for the AL at first base, and became the fourth Rays hitter to earn a Silver Slugger Award along with Carl Crawford (2010), Longoria (2009) and Peña (2007).
Over 754 career games between Tampa Bay and Cleveland, Díaz has hit .288/.373/.433 with 155 doubles, six triples, 75 home runs, 341 RBI and 352 walks. He holds the Rays franchise record in leadoff home runs (16) and ranks among all-time club leaders in walks (5th, 320), doubles (6th, 142), hits (7th, 707), games played (8th, 666), runs scored (8th, 452), extra-base hits (9th, 219) and RBI (10th, 313). Among players with at least 1,500 plate appearances with the Rays, his .374 on-base percentage ranks second behind Fred McGriff (.380), while his .289 average is fourth behind Crawford (.296), McGriff (.291) and James Loney (.291).
Díaz was originally acquired from Cleveland along with right-handed pitcher Cole Sulser in a three-team trade with Seattle on December 13, 2018. The Rays sent infielder Jake Bauers to Cleveland and cash considerations to the Mariners.
Press Release Courtesy of MLB
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