The Cuban gardener Víctor Mesa Jr. continues his streak with the Tampa Bay Rays: on Saturday, he hit his ninth home run of the 2026 season in his team’s 3-2 victory against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, as reporter Francys Romero reported.
The hit came in the fourth inning against the starter George Kirby, who threw a four-seam fastball at 97.0 mph.
The hitter responded with a massive hit to right field that came off the bat at 105.7 mph, at an angle of 27 degrees, and traveled 412 feet, according to official MLB data.
The home run tied the score at 1-1 at that moment, and the Rays ultimately won 3-2.
Mesa Jr. is also experiencing a remarkable offensive moment: in his last three games, he accumulated five hits and four extra-base hits, a streak that reflects his growing confidence at the plate.
With this ninth home run, the Cuban raised his season offensive line to .220/.293/.461, with 19 runs batted in and an OPS of .754 in 141 at-bats.
The journey of Mesa Jr. up to this point has not been easy. The Miami Marlins designated him for assignment in early February, and Tampa Bay acquired him days later in exchange for infielder Angel Brachi.
After being promoted to Triple-A with the Durham Bulls in March, he was called up to the Major Leagues on May 24, 2026, and has since held onto his spot on the Rays' active roster.
The Havana-born baseball player, son of the legendary Cuban athlete Víctor Mesa Martínez, defected from Cuba in 2018 alongside his brother Víctor Víctor Mesa to pursue a career in MLB, initially signing with the Marlins.
His first home run in the Major Leagues came on September 9, 2025, his birthday, against the Washington Nationals, while he was still wearing the Miami uniform.
Now, with nine home runs and 19 RBIs this season, Mesa Jr. is establishing himself as a valuable asset for Tampa Bay, and his recent performance suggests that his home run total will continue to rise.
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