The Tampa Bay Rays are picking up Taylor Walls’ option for the 2026 season and adding an option for 2027 according to a report from Marc Topkin.
Walls, 29, just finished off his 5th season on the Rays active
roster. The superb defender doesn’t do much at the plate as he has produced a 70 wRC+ thus far in his career; during the 2025 campaign, Walls hit .220/.280/.319 with 4 HR, registering a 66 wRC+ and accrued 0.3 fWAR.
Walls attempts to make up for his offensive shortcomings by being one of the best defensive shortstops in all of baseball; he was a finalist for the Gold Glove award for his efforts this past season. According to FanGraphs, Walls led every shortstop in the game with 17 Defensive Runs Saved over just 720 innings played.
The Rays and Walls avoided arbitration earlier this year as the two sides came to an agreement in January that paid Walls $1.35M for the 2025 season and gave the Rays a $2.45M option for the 2026 campaign.
Tampa Bay has now picked up that option and tacked on a $3.1M option for the 2027 season.
If the Rays choose to decline the option on Walls at the end of next season, they will still retain control as it will be Walls’ third year of being arbitration eligible.
