By Mark Brown
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla – The first feature one notices about Yandy Diaz is a quick smile and buoyant personality. Accommodating to the media and ready for shows of affection for visitors to his locker in the Tampa Bay Rays clubhouse, Diaz, since his deflection from Cuba, has emerged as one of the dominant hitters in the game.
Age is beginning to show with flicks of grey dotting his beard, but his ability to hit a baseball and influence his teammates with benefit and profit, remain quite apparent.
Identified as a true “professional hitter,” Diaz is not the arch-typical power hitter and certainly not a traditional “clean-up” hitter. Rather, his ability to make sharp contact and demonstrate a careful batter’s eye has made the 34-year-old one of the most productive hitters in the game.
After signing with Cleveland 2017, he hit .312 for his first full season with then-Indians and subsequently dealt to Tampa Bay in a 3-way deal with Seattle in Dec., 2018. He won the American League batting title in 2023 with a .330 batting average
Coming into this season, Diaz had a .293 batting average for 10 Major League seasons. Through the Rays first 61 games this season, his .331 batting average is leading the American League and third highest in the majors.
Throughout the current season, Diaz’s bat control and his ability to spray the baseball around the diamond is evident. Plus, he’s demonstrated a penchant to hit the long ball. Going forward, Diaz doubts the value of the home run this season but has a tendency to sneak a selected pitch over the fence.
“I’m just trying to make contact but if I pull it, you guys know, I’m able to do it,” Diaz said. “No, I’m not thinking about hitting homers and I think (30 homers) is a little too many for me. To be in a position (to hit 30 this season) is a great goal. It’s a great position to be in and we’ll see how things work out.”
That was not always the case.
Native of Sagu la Grande, Cuba, Diaz came from a baseball family, but repression of the Cuban regime was overwhelming. Beginning in 2013 at the age of 21, he made several attempts to flee. Despite two unsuccessful endeavors, he was caught by Cuban officials.
That made Diaz all the more determined to flee and managed, with two others, defected to the Dominican Republic. His escape resulted in a combination of personal contacts, support of Cuban exiles and the ability to land in the Dominican Republic, a familiar route of passage for those seeking to join Major League teams in the United States
Once in the United States, he signed with Cleveland for $300,000 and embarked on a Major League career in 2017.
Entrenched in slots one through four in manager Kevin Cash’s batting order, Diaz is amenable and supports the notion of assisting the Rays, in any way he can, to win.
Next … The Tampa Bay Rays embark on their only trip to California. Beginning with three with the Angels, the series opener June 12 showcases lefty Shane McClanahan (6-3, 2.85) and the Angels are undecided. In the middle game, look for Griffin Jax (1-4, 4.15) to oppose righty Jose Soriano (2-4, 2.98) and for the finale, the Rays are undecided and the Angels will send righty Grayson Rodriguez (2-3, 8.10). Then, on to Dodger Stadium for three. The Rays are expected to face Shohei Ohtani in the middle game of this series. Tampa Bay then returns to Tropicana Field for their longest home stand of the season (10 games) and faces the Nationals, the Royals and Diamondbacks.
