Rays exercise 2026 option for infielder Yandy D¨ªaz, add vesting option for 2027
The Tampa Bay Rays have exercised a 2026 club option for infielder Yandy D¨ªaz and added a vesting option for 2027, pending 2026 performance thresholds.
In 2024, D¨ªaz, 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 Pe?a (2008) and Rocco Baldelli (2004). D¨ªaz 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 Jos¨¦ Ram¨ªrez.
In 2023, D¨ªaz 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). D¨ªaz 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 Pe?a (2007).
Over 754 career games between Tampa Bay and Cleveland, D¨ªaz 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).
D¨ªaz 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.