The Tampa Bay Rays have picked up the $12 million 2026 club option for Yandy Diaz. Likewise, they’ve added a $13 million vesting option that he can earn after reaching 500 plate appearances in 2026. Otherwise, the team option goes down to $10 million.
While Diaz was in his first arbitration year, he agreed to a three-year, $24 million extension with the Rays. Since the deal negated his capacity for arbitration, Diaz earned $6 million two years ago and $8 million last season.
The Cuban-born third baseman slashed .281/.341/.415/.755 last year, his sixth season with the Rays. His batting average in 2024 is a far cry from his career-high .330 in 2023. In addition to those numbers, Diaz has 14 home runs and 65 RBIs.
Yandy Diaz will still earn a decent amount of money, even if his performance continues to decline. While he could have earned more when traded, he might have wanted some security and not the uncertainty that free agency brings.
-Lance Fernandez