MLB Insider Suggests Yankees Could Trade For Rays' Yandy Díaz at Winter Meetings

While Yandy Díaz is one of the Tampa Bay Rays' most valuable veteran bats, The Athletic's Jim Bowden isn't ruling out the possibility that they trade him to the New York Yankees.

Aug 17, 2022; Bronx, New York, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Yandy Diaz (2) reacts after hitting a two run double against the New York Yankees during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees are still waiting to see how things shake out with Juan Soto before spending money elsewhere, but they could address one of their biggest needs via trade in the meantime.

After declining Anthony Rizzo's club option in November, the Yankees left themselves without a clear starter at first base for 2025. Their answer could come from within the AL East, since rumors have suggested that the Tampa Bay Rays might be shopping Yandy Díaz.

The Athletic's Jim Bowden ran with those rumors, proposing a hypothetical trade between the Yankees and Rays that could go down at the Baseball Winter Meetings next week. New York would acquire Díaz, while Tampa Bay would get back right-handed pitching prospect Zach Messinger and 19-year-old center fielder Brando Mayea.

Mayea is ranked as the No. 13 prospect in the Yankees' farm system. Messinger, who just turned 25 years old in October, is coming off is first full season in Double-A, posting a 3.06 ERA and 1.107 WHIP in 150.0 innings. The University of Virginia product has been pegged as New York's No. 17 prospect.

Last week, a report surfaced that the Rays would likely be looking to acquire two prospects and an MLB player in exchange for Díaz. Bowden's proposal for the Yankees is a big league player short of reaching that asking price, but it isn't insanely far off.

Díaz hit .281 with 14 home runs, 65 RBI, a .755 OPS and a 1.6 WAR in 2024, all of which were significant dropoffs from his numbers in 2023. That year, Díaz won the AL Batting Title and a Silver Slugger, placing sixth in AL MVP voting after hitting .330 with 22 home runs, 78 RBI, a .932 OPS and a 5.2 WAR.

The 33-year-old third baseman-turned-first baseman is a .288 hitter with an .806 OPS for his career, averaging 18 home runs, 76 RBI and a 3.4 WAR per 162 games since joining Tampa Bay in 2019.

Díaz is set to make $10 million in 2025. He also has a $12 million club option tacked onto his contract for 2026, and it does not feature a buyout clause.

If the Yankees can't swing a deal for Díaz, Pete Alonso and Christian Walker are still out there on the free agent market. It is unlikely New York spends big on Alonso if Soto comes back on a $600 million contract, however.

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