The Cuban baseball player Yandy Díaz will be guaranteed 13 million dollars with the Tampa Bay Rays for the 2027 season, after an automatic clause in his contract was triggered upon meeting the established requirements, as confirmed by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
The option became effective because the player from Villa Clara met the two required conditions: reaching 500 plate appearances, a milestone he achieved in August, and finishing the season in satisfactory physical condition.
The agreement for 2027 was incorporated into Díaz's contract in March 2025, when the Rays exercised the corresponding $12 million clause for the 2026 season. The original structure included a $10 million club option, which turned into a $13 million guarantee if the player exceeded the participation threshold. Once the conditions were met, Tampa Bay secured the continuity of one of its most productive hitters.
At 35 years old, the player born in Sagua la Grande completed an impressive 2026 season. He finished the regular campaign with an average of .293, 22 home runs, 85 RBIs, 93 runs scored, and 180 hits in 154 games, along with an on-base percentage of .359 and a slugging percentage of .446.
His 180 hits placed him at the top of the American League in that category, reaffirming his status as one of the most consistent contact hitters in the league.
Díaz was also a key player in the postseason. During the American League Championship Series, he batted .333 and hit two home runs, contributing to Tampa Bay's advancement to the World Series in 2026, the franchise's first since 2020.
However, the Rays were unable to claim the championship: the Milwaukee Brewers achieved their first title in history by defeating Tampa Bay four games to one. In the Fall Classic, the Cuban had a more modest performance, with three hits in 20 at-bats and one run batted in.
In July, Díaz had already written another historic page by becoming the fourth player to reach 1,000 hits with the franchise and the first of Cuban origin to achieve this. By the end of the season, he accumulated 115 home runs with Tampa Bay, placing sixth in the club's history.
Díaz joined the Rays in December 2018 from Cleveland in a three-team trade. In 2023, he won the American League batting title with an average of .330, becoming the first player in the franchise's history to achieve that honor.
"After another great season and helping the Rays reach the World Series, the agreement for 2027 is now officially finalized," emphasized Pelota Cubana in announcing the news.
Related videos:
Filed under: