Several Rays aren’t exactly enjoying their stay at the historic Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee.
The landmark hotel, which was built in 1893, has garnered a reputation for seemingly being haunted by paranormal spirits. And while many Tampa Bay players don’t mind crashing at the eccentric location during their two-game series against the Brewers, others are quite spooked.
Yandy Diaz, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound third baseman, headlines the list of those most afraid of ghosts possibly lurking in the shadows. His teammates did little to ease his concerns, taping a cartoon ghost to the front of Diaz’s locker ahead of Sunday’s game in Detroit alongside the Spanish word cuidado, or “watch out.”
Diaz flirted with the idea of staying in his own hotel following Tuesday’s contest in Milwaukee, but was promised a room in the newest tower of the vintage Pfister that was guaranteed to be ghost-free.
“All I want is (to not) have any ghosts in my room,” Diaz said via team interpreter Manny Navarro, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Rays infielder Yandy Diaz really doesn’t want to see any ghosts when his team stays at an allegedly haunted Milwaukee hotel.NY Post illustrationDiaz isn’t the only player who considers the hotel to be haunted. Outfielder Roman Quinn claimed to hear of multiple stories of paranormal “encounters” from his former Phillies teammates, including outlines of nonexistent beings on beds, disappearing figures in the halls and clothes mysteriously moving around rooms.
Ji-Man Choi is no stranger to dealings with ghosts, either, as his biography in the Rays media guide proudly states how he’s terrified of the beings and “believes to have had many encounters with them, including hugs and whispers.”
“If I see a ghost I’ll say ‘Hi’ to him,” Choi joked last week through interpreter Daniel Park.
Pitcher Ryan Yarbrough, for one, is not willing to buy into the haunted rumors.
The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee.Getty Images
Yandy DiazGetty Images“I’m not too concerned,” Yarbrough said. “I’m not saying I don’t believe in any of that. I just feel like if you don’t try to overly concern yourself with it, maybe bad things won’t happen.
“But no, I think it’s fine. I think certain guys are very intrigued and some guys want nothing to do with it. So I’m just trying to be even-keeled about it. But Yandy is the guy.”
That being said, the 30-year-old lefty wasn’t ready to rule out some antics by his teammates.
“I’m sure something will happen, I’m not sure what,” Yarbrough said. “We’ve got some funny guys on our team.”
