Rays' Star Slugger Seen as Player Likely to Be Traded This Year

Which slugger from the Tampa Bay Rays might get traded this year?

Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

As the start of spring training gets a little bit closer for the Tampa Bay Rays, the team is still working on rounding out the roster this offseason. So far, there has been no shortage of moves for the team. 

Coming into the winter, the Rays were a team that was expected to look to change some things up before the start of 2026, and that has been the case. Tampa Bay has made some moves both to improve the team for this coming campaign and also for the future. 

Whether or not they are going to be able to contend in the highly challenging American League East is yet to be determined, but they do have some good things in place. However, as a team that is always thinking about the future, they do tend to trade away veteran talent before they lose them in free agency. 

As shown this winter with the decision to trade Brandon Lowe, they will move players who they don’t believe are going to be a part of their future, even if they are impact players. While they have already decided to trade Lowe, they could elect to move another veteran at some point this year. 

Mark Feinsand of MLB recently wrote about some of the players most likely to be traded in 2026, and Rays’ star slugger Yandy Diaz was one of them. 

Moving Diaz Seems Likely

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It was a fantastic campaign for the talented slugger in 2025. He was able to slash .300/.366/.482 with 25 home runs and 83 RBI. It was a fantastic campaign, and his offensive production was a big boost for the team. Now, with the roster looking a lot different and him being 34 years old, he does appear to be a prime candidate to be dealt. 

While a deal this winter might be a bit unlikely at this point, Diaz will undoubtedly be a name to watch throughout the season. Whether or not the Rays are a contender, he could be dealt so they gain something valuable back for the future. 

Diaz is likely to be primarily a designated hitter for the Rays in 2026 following Jonathan Aranda’s emergence. However, he is still capable of playing first base and could be an option for other teams at the position. Due to his age and the likelihood that Tampa Bay won’t be a contender this year, a trade at some point makes a lot of sense.