The Rays have a first baseman Yandy Diaz Placed on the restricted list, infielder Curtis Mead He was promoted from Triple-A and took Diaz’s spot on the active roster.X-Link) wrote that Diaz did not play Friday due to what the Rays described as a “personal issue.”
Due to the private nature of the situation, we may not know the details of Diaz’s absence until he returns, or at least gets closer to returning. The absence will have a financial cost to Diaz, as he will lose salary (and MLB time) for the time he spends on the restricted list. Diaz has about $3.3 million remaining of his $8 million salary for the 2024 season.
A mainstay in Tampa Bay’s lineup over the past six seasons, Diaz has been a quietly consistent and powerful offensive force while regularly appearing at both corners of the infield. Diaz reached a new level in 2022-23, batting .314/.406/.475 in 1,158 plate appearances. Among eligible hitters over those two seasons, only six had a better wRC+ than Diaz’s 155.
His production has declined in 2024, with Diaz’s .273 batting average/.329 on-base percentage/.396 slugging percentage in 416 plate appearances equating to a wRC+ of 111. Though his hitting has improved since a sluggish first two months, Diaz’s power numbers have dropped significantly and his .123 isolated slugging is well below the .192 he had in 2023. The .123 ISO is more consistent with past seasons, at least from 2023 onwards, but Diaz’s 7.5% walk rate is well below his career average of 12.2 BB%.
A weakened version of Diaz is still a big part of Tampa’s lineup, and the Rays will have to deal with his unexpected absence if they want to stay in playoff contention. Diaz has only been used as a first baseman and DH this season, so Isaac Paredes Mead moved from third base to first base and joined the hot corner. Jose Caballero and Amed Rosario.
Diaz’s absence poses another challenge to how the Rays plan to negotiate the trade deadline on July 30. With Tampa at 48-49 and 5.5 games out of the final wild-card spot in the AL, the Rays still have time to make a push for a postseason berth. However, there is speculation that the Rays could act as both a buyer and seller at the deadline, looking to shed some cash from their payroll while also looking to add to their roster for both this season and the future. It would make sense for the Rays to look for infield reinforcements if Diaz is on the restricted list by July 30, but it’s worth noting that Paredes could also be a candidate for a deal. Potential Trade CandidatesPromising Star Junior Caminero Caminero has only just returned to Triple-A after recovering from a quadriceps injury, but once healthy he is expected to be called up to Tampa Bay’s active roster and join the infield.
