Rays, Yandy Diaz agree to 3-year, $24M extension

The Tampa Bay Rays and arbitration-eligible third baseman Yandy Diaz agreed to a three-year, $24-million extension Tuesday.

The deal includes a $12-million team option for the 2026 season.

Diaz, 31, was in his second season of arbitration eligibility and was slated to be able to test free agency following the 2024 campaign. He hit .296/.401/.423 last year with nine homers and three steals over 137 games while ranking third in the American League by on-base percentage behind Aaron Judge and Yordan Alvarez.

Diaz spent the last four seasons with the Rays after they acquired him from the Cleveland Guardians for Jake Bauers ahead of the 2019 season. For his career, Diaz possesses a .782 OPS (120 OPS+) in 472 games across six seasons.

The deal marks the team's third extension in a week. Tampa Bay agreed to a four-year, $31-million deal with left-hander Jeffrey Springs on Thursday and retained right-handed closer Pete Fairbanks on a three-year, $12-million contract Friday.

The Rays still have four unsigned players going through arbitration this winter: right-handed relievers Jason Adam and Ryan Thompson, outfielder Harold Ramirez, and lefty reliever Colin Poche.