Diaz's $13M Rays Payday Locks In After 500-Plate-Appearance Milestone

Yandy Diaz's payday with Tampa Bay is now guaranteed. The Rays first baseman will earn $13 million in 2027 after his $10 million option converted into a guaranteed deal when he reached 500 plate appearances and finished the season healthy, according to Marc Topkin's report, with the move finalized as part of the November 1 wave of contract decisions across baseball. It is a reward for durability as much as production: staying on the field all year was the trigger that lifted the value of the deal by $3 million. The decision fits a busy opening weekend of the offseason for the Rays, who also picked up ace Drew Rasmussen's $20 million option for 2027 while declining the mutual option on Cedric Mullins. Diaz, who has become a fixture at the top of their order, now heads into 2027 with his future settled. For Tampa Bay, it is one more piece of the core locked in; for Diaz, it is the security that comes from a full, healthy season's work.