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

Rays' Veteran Slugger Projected to Have Another Strong Campaign

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Mar 11, 2026 7:00 AM ET

As the Tampa Bay Rays get set for the start of the regular season, they will be hoping to get another strong performance from a key veteran.

Coming off missing the playoffs the last two years, the Rays are motivated to get back into contention and start to make some noise again in the American League East. That will be no easy task with the talent that is in the division, but there are reasons to like things about the roster for Tampa Bay.

This winter, the team shook things up quite a bit and moved on from a few key veterans. Closer Pete Fairbanks had his team option declined and went to free agency, while the Rays then traded both Brandon Lowe and Shane Baz. Tampa Bay is no stranger to moving on from veteran players nearing the end of their contracts, and that was the plan with Lowe, especially this winter.

However, one veteran that they didn’t elect to trade was veteran slugger Yandy Diaz. The talented veteran had a fantastic campaign in 2025 and was one of the best contact hitters in baseball. Furthermore, he had a good amount of power to go along with his .300 batting, making him an all-around strong hitter. Now, while his future with the team is uncertain, he is projected to have another strong campaign.

Diaz Predicted to Put Up All-Star Caliber Numbers

Despite being 34 years old now, FanGraphs projections for Diaz in 2026 are really strong once again. The projections have him slashing .292/.365/.452 with 20 home runs and 79 RBI. This would be another really solid campaign for the veteran slugger, but the real question will be whether or not he will be with Tampa Bay for the entire season.

With Opening Day right around the corner, any potential deal before then seems a bit unlikely. However, there are going to be no shortage of rumors surrounding Diaz even if the Rays are playing well. This is a franchise that is not afraid to be both buyers and sellers at the same time, and moving a veteran like Diaz seems inevitable at this point.

It was a bit surprising that he wasn’t dealt this winter with how the team was operating, but perhaps his market didn’t quite develop. However, if he continues to perform the way he has, there should be multiple suitors this summer, and it will be interesting to see what the plan for him will be.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Rays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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