The Cuban baseball player Víctor Mesa Jr. starred this Wednesday in one of his best games with the Tampa Bay Rays by hitting his 11th home run of the 2026 season against the Atlanta Braves, opening the scoring with a shot that left no doubt from the moment of contact.
The 25-year-old Cuban player hit a fly ball to right-center in the second inning with a 105.4 mph exit velocity, an angle of 28 degrees, and a distance of 414 feet, putting Tampa Bay ahead 1-0. The game commentators held nothing back in their praise: "It was a tee shot. No doubt about it," they remarked after the hit.
The Rays ended up dominating the Braves 7-2, with Mesa Jr. closing the night with two hits in three at-bats, two runs scored, and one RBI.
But the performance of the Habanero did not stop at the plate. According to specialized journalist Francys Romero, Mesa Jr. leads the Tampa Bay outfielders in Defensive Runs Saved during the 2026 season, with nine, making him a valuable asset in both aspects of the game. "He has been one of the surprises this season with contributions on both sides of the game," Romero emphasized.
His offensive numbers at the close of this Wednesday reflect a solid season: 11 home runs, an OPS of .758, and a batting average of .239, figures that solidify his spot on the Rays' active roster.
The performance is even more impressive considering that Mesa Jr. just returned on September 1 after recovering from a strain in his left hamstring that kept him out since August 19. During his rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Durham, he even hit a home run, signaling that he was back in shape and in rhythm.
The Cuban arrived in Tampa Bay in February 2026 after being designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins. The Rays acquired him in exchange for infielder prospect Ángel Brachi, activated him with Durham on March 11, and called him up to the Major Leagues on May 24, where he has remained a pleasant surprise of the season.
Son of the legendary Cuban baseball player Víctor Mesa and brother of Víctor Víctor Mesa, the young outfielder defected from Cuba with his family in 2018 and signed with Miami that same year. He made his Major League debut on May 26, 2025, with the Marlins, and hit his first home run in MLB exactly on September 9, 2025, a year before this new stellar performance.
With the Rays still in the running for postseason positions, Mesa Jr. arrives at the right moment to prove that his presence on the roster was not a minor gamble.
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