ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Infielder Taylor Walls and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided arbitration, agreeing to a one-year, $1.4 million contract. Wells gets a $1.35 million salary this year, and the Rays have a $2.45 million option for 2026 with a $50,000 buyout. The option price would increase to $2.5 million if he has 450 plate appearances in 2025.

The Rays and Walls avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract with a club option for 2026 on Wednesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. The financial details aren't known, but the two sides had been less than $300,