C,DH - Houston Astros
- Age 27
- Bats: R
- Throws: R
Availability
Yainer Diaz went 1-for-3 in Sunday's loss to the Mariners, belting a solo home run in a 6-1 loss.
Fantasy Impact
Diaz has offered mixed results at the plate of late, driving in runs in four of his last seven games. The 27-year-old has offered manager Joe Espada one of the more underperforming options in the Houston lineup, batting .208 with one home run, four runs scored, and eight RBI over 12 games.
Yainer Diaz went 3-for-5 in Saturday's win over the Athletics with one run scored, two RBI, and one walk.
Fantasy Impact
Diaz has heated up at the plate, driving in runs in four of his last five games. The 27-year-old has provided manager Joe Espada with another impactful option in the Houston lineup early in the season, batting .296 with six RBI and three runs scored through seven games.
Diaz (foot) suffered a foot sprain in the Dominican Winter League, which delayed his start to camp. He will serve as the designated hitter on Wednesday and is scheduled to start at catcher in Friday's Grapefruit League game.
Fantasy Impact
Cesar Salazar serves as Diaz's backup. Diaz is scheduled to catch in a game before the end of February.
Houston Astros manager Joe Espada said on Wednesday that Yainer Diaz sustained a minor left foot sprain in mid-December while playing catch in winter ball. The Astros plan to be cautious with his running progression as he recovers.
Fantasy Impact
Diaz was able to catch a bullpen on Wednesday and will hit in camp, which is a positive sign. The Astros are still taking a cautious approach with his running program. The injury does not appear serious, and he should be good to go for opening day.
Yainer Diaz won his arbitration hearing against the Houston Astros and will make $4.5 million in 2026. The Astros filed at $3 million.
Fantasy Impact
Diaz is coming off a 2025 season where he hit .256 with 20 home runs and 70 RBI in 143 games. He belted a career-high 23 home runs in 103 games and finished fifth in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023. All told, the 27-year-old backstop is a career .279 hitter with 59 home runs in essentially three seasons (he had nine plate appearances in 2022). Diaz is a top ten fantasy catcher and should be drafted as such.
