Yandy Diaz Homers In Loss Wednesday
Yandy Diaz went 1-for-3 with a home run, one walk, two RBI and two runs scored in an 8-7 loss to the White Sox on Wednesday. He's been on a tear over his last 15 games, slashing .280/.439/.400 with two homers, nine RBI and nine runs scored, while posting an 11:15 K:BB ratio. He's now slashing .259/.395/.321 over 62 games, and remains a great option to roster in OBP formats.
Source: MLB.com
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Source: MLB.com
Yandy Diaz Homers In Rays Win On Sunday
Yandy Diaz blasted his second home run of the season in Sunday's 8-3 win over the Atlanta Braves. The home run came in the first inning off Chris Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young winner. Diaz has gotten off to a slow start to the season, but in his last six games, he has gone 7-for-23 (.304). So far this season, Diaz is now slashing .210/.242/.355, scoring eight runs with three RBI, to go along with the two home runs. Diaz is a career .287 hitter, so fantasy managers should expect him to turn it around as he's barrelling the ball up and still ranks in the 82nd percentile in hard-hit percentage. Next for Diaz and the Rays is a series against divisional rivals, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Diaz will look to keep it going and stay hot at the plate.
Source: ESPN
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Source: ESPN
Yandy Diaz Has Club Option Picked Up
Yandy Diaz is going to stick around with the organization for a few more seasons. On Friday, the Rays picked up Diaz's $12 million team option for 2026 and added a vesting option for the 2027 season. This is noteworthy because Diaz was subject to plenty of trade rumors this offseason, but it appears the Rays want to hold onto the slugging corner infielder. Last season, Diaz slashed .281/.341/.755 with 14 home runs and 65 RBI across 145 games with the Rays. That was actually a down year for Diaz who hit .330 with 22 homers in 2023. He has been a reliable bat for a handful of years and that should remain the case heading into 2025.
Source: Ryan Bass
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Source: Ryan Bass
Yandy Diaz Could Be Moved Out Of Leadoff Spot
Yandy Diaz down in the lineup from the leadoff spot as a way to boost their offense in 2025. Diaz has served as the team's leadoff hitter the last two seasons, but the 33-year-old veteran could be moved down in order to increase his RBI opportunities. In the leadoff spot, Diaz won the American League batting title with a .330 batting average in 2023, so he's done well in the lineup spot, but a move down would also give him more chances to drive in runs. Despite the talk about moving Diaz down, he has mostly served as the leadoff man this spring. Regardless of lineup position, fantasy managers can't expect Diaz to ever be as good as he was in 2023, especially if he continues to hit more ground balls. He ranks as RotoBaller's No. 19 fantasy first baseman. A trade might be the best thing for his fantasy value going forward.
Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
The Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin writes that the Tampa Bay Rays are considering dropping first baseman Source: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
Mets Have Checked In Yandy Diaz
Yandy Diaz. Sources have reported that the Mets have shown interest in Diaz earlier this offseason, but the Rays were unwilling to part with the first baseman. However, given this recent report, the Rays may be open to a trade discussion, especially after they added another infielder, Ha-Seong Kim, earlier this week. The Mets have also contacted other teams looking for a first baseman, including the Detroit Tigers for Spencer Torkelson and the Baltimore Orioles for Ryan Mountcastle. The Mets remain in discussions with Pete Alonso but have begun to have preliminary discussions for an alternative option. Last season, Diaz posted a .281/.341/.414 line with 14 home runs.
Source: Pat Ragazzo
According to Pat Ragazzo of Sports Illustrated, the New York Mets have checked in on first baseman Source: Pat Ragazzo
Read More News