ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Rays are working on a contract extension for another arbitration-eligible player, corner infielder Yandy Diaz.
The sides are closing in a on a three-year, $24 million contract with a 2026 option, as MLB.com first reported, and the deal could be finalized by Tuesday.
Diaz is scheduled for an arbitration hearing, seeking a $6.3 million salary while the team offered $5.55 million. The Rays in the past week completed extensions with two pitchers who were otherwise headed to hearings, signing Jeffrey Springs to a four-year deal for a guaranteed $31 million and Pete Fairbanks for three years and a guaranteed $12 million.
Diaz, 31, hit .296 with nine homers and 57 RBIs last season, ranking third in the American League with a .401 on-base percentage and a career-high .824 OPS. He was one of six big leaguers (with enough plate appearances to qualify for the leaderboards) to have more walks (78) than strikeouts (60).
