Rays' Slugger Wisely Predicted To Be All-Star in American League

Will the Tampa Bay Rays have an All-Star on their team this year?

Aug 16, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; A Tampa Bay Rays helmet sits in the dugout before the game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays have gotten off to a bit of a mediocre start to the season in 2026, with a long road trip for the team proving to be very challenging. However, while it is still early, there have been some positives for the team. 

Coming into the campaign, the Rays were a team that was hoping to be a contender. They made a plethora of moves this year in order to try to improve some key areas, but even with new ownership, they didn’t spend a ton. 

While more spending will hopefully come in the near future with a new stadium, Tampa Bay is very capable of being a solid team even without spending a ton. A major reason is their ability to identify and develop young talent. With a low payroll, it is key for the team to be able to get the most out of their roster, and sometimes that means moving on from players earlier than they would have liked. 

Even though there might not be a ton of veterans on the team, one of them is off to a fantastic start and could very well be on his way toward his best season yet. 

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently predicted some players in the American League who would be All-Stars. For the Rays, he chose Yandy Diaz to be on the reserves for the team. 

Diaz Playing at All-Star Caliber Level

Tampa Bay Rays designated hitter Yandy Diaz | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

As the Rays navigate the early part of the season, Diaz has been one of the biggest bright spots for the team. The veteran slugger is coming off a fantastic campaign with the franchise and is performing at a very high level so far in 2026. 

Through 10 games, he is slashing 415/.489/.634 with two home runs and 10 RBI. Those are some really impressive numbers so far for the 34-year-old, with an early OPS over 1.000. 

While there is still a long way to go before the trade deadline, Diaz’s name is undoubtedly going to be mentioned because of his contract status. No veteran near the end of his contract is ever safe from the trade block with Tampa Bay, and they already decided to move on from All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe this winter. 

Even though there are undoubtedly going to be some rumors surrounding him going into the summer, Diaz has proven to be one of the best hitters in baseball. While that will be desirable for other teams to pursue, it should result in him getting an All-Star nod as well.