Yandy Díaz Reaches Vesting Possibility Threshold

Rays designated hitter Yandy Díaz reached 500 plate appearances on the season earlier this week. Within the course of, he triggered the vesting threshold in his contract for 2027. Díaz nonetheless must go a postseason bodily, however assuming he finishes the yr wholesome, he’s formally signed for subsequent season.

That additionally comes with a slight wage bump. The Rays initially held a $10MM staff possibility, however the vesting possibility value climbs to $13MM. It’s the very best wage of his profession, a slight bump over the $12MM he’s making this season. That’s effectively earned, as Díaz stays top-of-the-line hitters within the American League at age 35. He had a two-hit efficiency as we speak and is as much as a .302/.371/.466 slash with 17 residence runs.

There was by no means any doubt that the Rays had been going to train the choice regardless if Díaz had been wholesome. He’s absolutely completely satisfied to lock within the barely greater wage for what’ll be his ninth season in Tampa Bay barring an offseason commerce. Díaz lately handed Ben Zobrist for third on the franchise leaderboard in hits and wishes three residence runs to leap B.J. Upton and enter the highest 5 in that class.

Different groups have been attempting to pry Díaz away for a while, however his salaries stay a discount — even when slightly dear by Rays’ requirements. The staff has the perfect document in MLB and appears effectively on its option to coming into the postseason because the #1 seed within the American League.

Díaz is the staff’s highest-paid participant this season. He and Steven Matz ($7.5MM) are their solely gamers on assured contracts for subsequent yr. They could have a troublesome resolution on whether or not to carry or commerce Drew Rasmussen, whose membership possibility is at the moment valued at $11.25MM however would climb to $20MM if he avoids the injured listing the remainder of this yr. They’re a lock to choose up the choice both manner however might view the offseason as the suitable time to place Rasmussen on the commerce block. They’ll pay $4.5MM in complete buyouts to Nick Martinez and Cedric Mullins and might want to resolve on a $3.1MM membership possibility for Taylor Partitions.

The entrance workplace can concern itself with that in a pair months. Nothing modifications within the quick time period. Díaz will stay a part of a three-headed monster atop the lineup, main off in entrance of Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero.

Picture courtesy of Cary Edmondson, Imagn Photos.