TAMPA, Fla. -- The Rays will not go to any arbitration hearings this year, as they agreed on Wednesday to a one-year deal with shortstop Taylor Walls that includes a club option for the 2026 season.

Walls will earn $1.35 million this year, according to a source. The option is worth $2.45 million, with a $50,000 buyout, and can increase by $50,000 if he records at least 450 plate appearances this season.

This is the first of Walls¡¯ three arbitration-eligible seasons. When the two sides weren¡¯t able to come to an agreement two weeks ago, Walls filed for a $1.575 million salary and the Rays filed at $1.3 million.

Typically, the Rays either proceed to a hearing or negotiate a multi-year deal with players if they don¡¯t settle before the annual deadline to exchange salary figures. At the time, the Rays announced they would head to a hearing with Walls. Instead, they moved to strike a deal that worked for both sides.

Walls earned $757,300 in an injury-delayed 2024 season, once again dazzling with his defense while struggling at the plate. He is set to return this season as Tampa Bay¡¯s starting shortstop.

Regarded by Rays officials as the best defensive shortstop in baseball, Walls recorded 12 Defensive Runs Saved last season. That was the second-highest total for any shortstop, behind only the Cardinals¡¯ Masyn Winn (14), despite Walls playing only 625 1/3 innings at the position. He also led American League shortstops with 15 total zone fielding runs above average and ranked second in the Majors in that category behind Ezequiel Tovar.

Walls began last season on the 60-day injured list while recovering from offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right hip. He was reinstated on June 7 and went on to hit .183/.282/.248 with one home run, 14 RBIs and 16 steals over 84 games. Over parts of four seasons with the Rays, Walls has produced a .188/.288/.293 slash line with 18 homers and 52 steals in 379 games.

The Rays began the offseason with 12 arb-eligible players but managed to avoid any hearings. They cut ties with Colin Poche, Tyler Alexander, Dylan Carlson and Richard Lovelady, traded Jose Siri, agreed to a split contract with Cole Sulser, extended Drew Rasmussen and settled with Zack Littell, Shane Baz, Garrett Cleavinger and Ben Rortvedt.