Rays infielder Taylor Walls underwent season-ending sports hernia surgery, manager Kevin Cash tells Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times. Walls has been on the injured list since August 12 with what was initially diagnosed as a left groin strain. He’s expected to be ready for Spring Training.
This has been a typical season for Walls, a light-hitting defensive specialist. He hit .220/.280/.319 with four home runs through 317 plate appearances. The Florida State product owns a .195/.286/.298 batting line in more than 1500 career trips. Walls’ value comes entirely from his glove. While Statcast’s Outs Above Average has him as a roughly neutral defender, Defensive Runs Saved grades him as a plus gloveman at each of second base, third base and shortstop.
Walls was the starting shortstop with Ha-Seong Kim on the injured list for a good chunk of the season. Tampa Bay traded José Caballero and waived Kim. They’ve promoted top prospect Carson Williams to take over at shortstop and would have used Walls as a utility player if he’d been healthy. Williams and Junior Caminero are the hopeful long-term pairing on the left side of the infield. The Rays have another club option on Brandon Lowe but could field trade offers over the winter.
The Rays have a $2.45MM club option or $50K buyout on Walls’ services for next year. They could decline the option and go through the arbitration process. He’s controllable for two more seasons in either case.
Dude can pick it as a shortstop, would have a bonus if he gotten 400 plate appearances according to baseball reference. He’s cheap, Rays will get him back next season.
I’ve not seen him play but to have that slash line and get 1500 PAs is very telling.
2.4 bWAR this year with his slash line is also absurd. .07 fWAR is more reasonable
Ya haven’t seen him play. So you wrote this article? A hundred games, Thirty-eight RBIs in the 8-hole in a lineup that has you and the Boys reaching for disparaging adjectives. The bWar reflects his achievement of what was a big “metrics” lead for a Platinum glove when he was hurt.
A bonus for 50-100 more ABs of sub-.200 hitting? No thank you!
He’s a lot like Andrelton Simmons, and his bat has been better this year.
Andrelton Simmons was actually a decent hitter for a while. Not on this level
You’re right, Andrelton didn’t crater as fast with the bat.
crater? Walls was never a good hitter to begin with 🙂
I’ll admit his glove is very good. I went to a Rays/Cubs game in June 2024, and he started a game ending double play that was brilliant, but I would just rather have a SS who is a touch above average fielding and makes the normal plays and a few great ones, but who was better with the stick. While he has hit a little better in 2025, how many times has Walls come the plate with runners on and the Rays desperately need a single and then he Ks or pops out? If Tampa could have a SS who gets that single 10-12 more times in 100 ABs, I’m sure it would make up the difference. Sure, Rafael Belliard won a title with Atlanta, but Blauser was the starter and hit closer to .260 and was good for 15-20 HRs. They adequately used Belliard as a defensive replacement and a starter when someone needed a day off, and got the most value out of him. Rays need to do the same with Walls and any other starter hitting below .250.
Choof,
To his credit, Walls got better this year, he’s definitely a guy that is there for his defense only, I’ll admit that.
What a weird way to manage SS.
Taylor “Abnominal” Walls
Taylor Walls Left Handed and Elly de la Cruz Right Handed would combine to make the worst SS ever