The Cuban baseball player Víctor Mesa Jr. earned his first weekly recognition in Major League Baseball this Monday by being named American League Player of the Week by MLB, capping off a performance that left both fans and critics speechless during a crucial week for the Tampa Bay Rays.
The gardener, who turned 25 on September 8 during the award week, was simply unstoppable: he reached base in 14 out of 22 at-bats for an OBP of .636, hit six extra-base hits, and blasted home runs in three consecutive games, with an offensive line of .555/.636/1,278.
His contribution was crucial in a historic week for Tampa Bay, which defeated two division leaders —the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros— with a score of 5-1, outscoring their opponents 35-13 in runs.
On Friday, the Rays secured their playoff berth —the first since 2023— with a walk-off home run by Junior Caminero against the Astros, becoming the first MLB team to guarantee their spot in the postseason for the 2026 season.
The weekly award is not an isolated flash of brilliance, but rather the reflection of a sustained run that has made Mesa Jr. one of the most dangerous rookies in the circuit.
Since July 7, he has a batting average of .317 with an OPS of 1,014 over 40 games, the second best in Major League Baseball during that period among batters with at least 100 plate appearances, including 10 home runs and seven stolen bases.
In the full season, he accumulated around 13 home runs, 30 RBIs, and nine stolen bases in just 68 games, with a bWAR of 2.8 and an fWAR of 2.5, ranking sixth best on the top team in the American League.
Mesa Jr. was born in Havana and comes from one of the most emblematic families in Cuban baseball: his father, Víctor Mesa, played 19 seasons in the National Series, won the Olympic gold in Barcelona 1992, and managed Cuba in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
Along with his older brother, Víctor Víctor Mesa, he left Cuba in 2018 and signed with the Miami Marlins that same year.
After an irregular season in Miami, the Marlins designated him for assignment in February 2026, and the Rays immediately claimed him, a gamble that has proven more than successful.
He made his debut with Tampa Bay on May 24, and since July, he has been steadily improving, establishing himself as a key player both at the plate and in the outfield, where he leads the Rays' outfielders with nine Defensive Runs Saved.
With the regular season nearing its end and Tampa Bay heading to the postseason, Mesa Jr. arrives at the most important moment of his young career with the confidence of someone who does not know pressure.
Meanwhile, center fielder Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres was selected Player of the Week in the National League.
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