Infielder Taylor Walls and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract worth $1.4 million on Wednesday.
Contract Details
Walls will earn a salary of $1.35 million this year. The Rays also have a $2.45 million option for 2026, with a $50,000 buyout. If Walls gets 450 plate appearances in 2025, the option price will increase to $2.5 million.
Arbitration Negotiations
When the Rays and Walls exchanged salary proposals on January 9, Walls requested a raise from $757,300 to $1,575,000, while the Rays offered $1.3 million.
Walls’ Performance
Walls, 28, had a .183 batting average last season, hitting one home run, driving in 14 RBIs, and stealing 16 bases out of 20 attempts. In his career, he has a .188 batting average with 18 home runs, 98 RBIs, and 52 stolen bases from 62 attempts over four seasons, all with the Rays.
Remaining Arbitration Cases
Thirteen players are still set for arbitration hearings, which will begin on Monday.
