MLB Insider Gives Low Odds of Rays Trading Veteran Slugger This Offseason
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The Tampa Bay Rays have been involved in a ton of trade rumors already this offseason, and the MLB Winter Meetings haven’t even gotten underway yet.
While they have been connected to a few players to acquire in a trade, such as Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks, most of the trade talks involving the Rays are centered around players on the team they could look to move.
One of the players whom teams around the league are showing interest in is designated hitter Yandy Diaz. His name has been on the rumor mill for years, but MLB insider Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN aren’t so sure he is going to be on the move this winter either.
What are the odds of Yandy Diaz being traded by Rays?
They put together a list of the top 25 players who could be traded this offseason, along with 15 other names who could move. Coming in at No. 15 on that list is Diaz, but the odds of a trade getting done are pretty low.
The predicted chance of the veteran slugger being on the move is only 25%. Given how many rumors he has been involved in over the years, that seems like low odds, but it is easy to see why Tampa Bay wouldn’t want to trade him.
For starters, his value is immense. He is owed $12 million for 2026 and has a $10 million club option that vests at $13 million should he make 500 plate appearances next season.
The Rays aren’t going to find a player making that amount of money who can replicate Diaz’s production from the last four seasons. From 2022-2025, he has produced 13.4 bWAR with a .301/.379/.461 slash line and an OPS+ of 138.
To put it simply, he has been one of the most consistently productive hitters in baseball the last four years. He has hit 70 home runs with 128 doubles and 283 RBI, providing veteran leadership and much-needed run production in the middle of the team’s lineup.
Yandy Diaz remains impactful hitter despite age
While he doesn’t offer much value defensively or on the basepaths, his production at the plate is incredibly valuable. For a team that needs to upgrade its lineup offensively, trading one of its four hitters who performed at an above-average level in 2025 would make little sense.
However, now that he is 34 years old, there could be some concerns over his bat speed slowing down and numbers starting to decline.
If that is something Tampa Bay is worried about, they will have no shortage of suitors lining up to acquire him. Should they be blown away by a deal or acquire a package of players who fill other needs on the roster, such as the outfield, they will think long and hard about pulling the trigger.
However, with his current production projections and contract, he presents a great bargain for a franchise averse to spending too much money.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.