5 trade targets that would make Pittsburgh Pirates potential NL Central contenders

Yandy Diaz

Yandy Diaz has been a well above-average contributor to the Tampa Bay Rays’ lineup for multiple seasons now. Last year, he had a career year, slashing .330/.410/.522 with a .402 wOBA and 164 wRC+. Diaz, who is known for his contact ability, only struck out 15.7% of the time. He hit for good power, though,going yard 22 times with an isolated slugging percentage just a touch under .200 at .192.

After winning the Silver Slugger, the expectations were set high for Diaz. However, he’s posting numbers more akin to what he had in 2019-2022. Diaz is hitting .273/.329/.396 with a .319 wOBA and 111 wRC+. For the first time since 2018, his walk rate is below 10% at 7.5%, but he still avoids striking out, posting a 14.7% K% throughout 416 plate appearances. Diaz isn’t hitting for much power and has just eight homers with a .123 isolated slugging percentage.

Now, like almost every batter in MLB this year, Diaz had a horrible start to the year. But as the weather has heated up, so has he. His last 280 plate appearances have yielded a much better-looking .302/.354/.453 triple-slash. He has hit seven of his eight homers in this stretch and has a .151 isolated slugging percentage. Diaz has still not walked often, with a 7.5% BB%, but his strikeout rate is even lower, clocking in at 13.9%.

Diaz’s lack of consistent power production hasn’t resulted from a lack of raw power. He is in the 93rd percentile of exit velocity at 92.5 MPH. That is the 19th-best mark in baseball this season. On the flip side, his struggles step from a lack of lifting the ball. Diaz’s launch angle this season is only four degrees, the first time it has ever dipped below five degrees unless you count the shortened 2020 season. This has resulted in a barrel rate of just 6.5%.

To Diaz’s credit, he has improved his barrel rate as the season has gone on. His barrel rate since the start of his return to form is 8.6%, which is above average. Over the last month, it’s been even better, clocking in at 9.9%. Last season, Diaz had a career year while posting a 9.5% barrel rate.

Diaz has experience at both corner infield positions, but is much better at first base than third base. Career-wise, he has only -1 DRS and -4 OAA at first base. However, at third base, he has -30 DRS and -17 OAA. He has not played the hot corner semi-regularly since the 2022 campaign and only logged 31 innings there in 2023.

If Diaz just lifted the ball slightly more, he’d be a constant 20+ homer threat. Regardless, Diaz still crushes the ball and gets a ton of hits. He’s done a lot better as of late. First base might not be an immediate need, but Diaz is a potential multi-year solution. He is controlled next year for only $10 million and has a $12 million team option in 2026. The Pirates could finally get a solid, regular first baseman for more than one season by trading for Diaz.