How Rays’ Yandy Diaz became the American League’s top hitter

MIAMI — Basic and advanced stats provide plenty of data documenting the remarkable season Yandy Diaz has been having at the plate for the Rays.

Teammates and coaches offer plenty of analysis and anecdotal evidence of how impactful and impressive Diaz has been as their leading — and most consistent — hitter.

And Diaz delivers a heart-tugging explanation for his career-best season, one that goes back to an offseason conversation with wife Mayisleidis and the mid-July birth of their first child, Yandy Jared.

“Ever since I found out my wife was pregnant, I think it just pushed me and motivated me a little bit more,” said Diaz, via team interpreter Manny Navarro. “And then having my son, I think that just locks me in a lot more.”

There are other elements to Diaz’s success, which has him leading the American League in hitting (.326) going into Monday’s games, ranking second in on-base percentage (.403) and OPS (.910), and fifth in slugging percentage (.507).

Diaz, 32, has remained relatively healthy, playing in 111 of the Rays’ 132 games despite nagging left shoulder discomfort, an occasional groin issue and, more recently, a very sore left forearm from being hit by a pitch Friday. He is expected back in the lineup Tuesday in Miami. (He also missed three games while on paternity leave.)

He has been locked into the leadoff spot in the Rays’ order, allowing some freedom for a tone-setting approach, and he has spent most of his time playing first base, which is less physically taxing than third.

And he drew from comfort and confidence — and a willingness to take more chances at the plate, evidenced by his career-high 17 home runs — from the Rays signing him in late-January to a three-year, $24-million extension (running through what would have been his first year of free agency) with a 2026 option.

“When people normally sign a contract they put pressure on themselves,” Diaz said. “I think for me, I was just focused on my family, and that was about it.”

Diaz said he takes a simple approach into each game, and pays no attention to where he ranks in the race to become the first Ray to win a battling title.

“My goal is just to get one hit (a game),” he said. “If I can get that one hit, everything after that, it’s just God’s blessing.”

Diaz has impressed with the number of hits he has gotten (141). How hard he hits the ball, an average exit velocity of 94 mph (which ranks in the 98th percentile). How often he hits the ball hard, a hard-hit rate (balls hit at 95 mph or greater) of 53.8% (96th percentile). And how selective he is at the plate, with low chase, whiff and strikeout rates, and high contact and walk numbers.

Plus, he has repeatedly come up with the key hits when the Rays have needed them, an opportunity Diaz said he relishes.

“In at-bats like that, I like being under pressure,” he said. “It kind of brings me into focus a little bit more. Whether I become successful or not, I like those moments.”

Teammates rave about what Diaz has done and, more so, how he has done it, such as using the whole field and being able to handle all kinds of pitches and locations.

“It’s really everything about (his at-bats),” said veteran starter Zach Eflin. “His presence. His discipline. The pitches that he chooses to swing at. He truly is the spark plug of this team. … He’s just so self-aware of himself and never really goes outside of what he’s comfortable with doing.”

Added manager Kevin Cash: “He’s got a knack for putting the ball in play and finding holes. He’s such a good hitter, even when he gets behind in the count. There’s just so much confidence when he’s at the plate.”

Second baseman Brandon Lowe notes the combination of Diaz’s strength (and the extreme amount of time he spends on keeping those muscles bulging), his patience and selectivity at the plate, and the consistency of quality at-bats.

“If I could tell you what he was doing, I’d be hitting a whole lot better myself because it is extremely impressive to see what he’s doing,” Lowe said.

And then there is the swing itself, which hitting coach Chad Mottola calls “a new-age swing that has several different paths,” allowing Diaz to “adapt to what the pitcher is doing” and cover a variety of pitches.

“It’s like a contact swing with power. I don’t think he’s ever hit a ball under 110 mph,” said Eflin, only exaggerating slightly. “I don’t really know what you would throw to him. He kind of covers everything. He’s so good the other way, which makes him so dangerous. You can’t really pitch him away and stay away. He’s good at battling stuff inside off the plate. He can turn on anything he wants. He can hit it into the second deck whenever he wants.

“He truly is one of the best hitters I’ve ever seen.”

Pitcher Aaron Civale, who has known Diaz since their days as Cleveland minor-leaguers, has his own level of appreciation.

“It’s one of the prettiest right-handed swings that I’ve seen in this game,” Civale said. “Just the approach he takes, and how calm and compact it is just lets him do a lot of different things.”

Plus, as Cash said: “Yandy can hit anybody.”

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