Rays fans slammed Yandy Diaz for the same reason during ALCS Game 4

Sep 6, 2019; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; A detail view of a Tampa Bay Rays hat and glove at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Several Tampa Bay Rays fans desperately want Yandy Diaz to reconsider his stance on the ABS challenge.

Diaz has refused to initiate an ABS challenge all season, believing it best to focus on his at-bats rather than second-guess ball and strike calls. His reluctance nearly burned the Rays during Saturday’s ALCS Game 4 against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio.

The Rays All-Star came up to bat in the top of the 7th inning with two runners on and nobody out. With the count at 2-2, Guardians reliever Slade Cecconi threw a cutter outside the zone, called a strike. Diaz just walked back to the dugout instead of using one of his team’s two available challenges.

Fans were not happy about it, with many calling Diaz out for hurting his own team.

It’s a moot point, but Yandy Diaz needs to re-think his approach to the ABS challenges. That could come back to bite them down the line.
— Richard Gueren (@rich92686) October 18, 2026

Yandy Diaz is very lucky he has Aranda and Caminero behind him bc the no challenging gimmick is not it. How do u not challenge that in such a big moment? Lol
— Jas☆n💫 (@jasonmvii) October 18, 2026

Yandy Diaz not challenging again. Thanks man. At what point are you letting every single one of your teammates down because of your stubbornness
— Boltedup (@Boltedupwdl1) October 18, 2026

I really thought that Yandy Díaz was about to make his first ABS challenge… But he had to stick to his "morals"
— Nyanasaur (@Nyanasaur) October 18, 2026

Diaz was fortunate that Jonathan Aranda picked him up with a 2-RBI hit in the following at-bat, extending the Rays’ lead to 5-1.

Diaz redeemed himself in the top of the 9th inning. He connected on a wall-scraping 2-run homer to give Tampa Bay some additional cushion.