The Cubans Yandy Díaz and Víctor Mesa Jr. will be in the starting lineup for the Tampa Bay Rays this Saturday in the first game of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees, a matchup that marks a new phase of the playoffs for two of the island's players who are still alive in the postseason.
According to the lineup published by MLB, Yandy Díaz will be the leadoff hitter and designated hitter for Tampa Bay, while Víctor Mesa Jr. will bat sixth and play right field.
The Game 1 is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time at Tropicana Field, with right-hander Drew Rasmussen starting for the Rays against veteran Gerrit Cole for the Yankees.
Two Cubans in the Tampa Bay lineup
The presence of Díaz and Mesa Jr. was also confirmed in the official roster presented by Tampa Bay for the Division Series. The Rays selected 14 position players and 12 pitchers for the best-of-five matchup.
Yandy arrives in October after another high-level season. The player from Villa Clara finished the regular campaign with an average of .293, 22 home runs, 85 RBIs, and an OPS of .805.
Additionally, his 180 hits were the highest in the American League, one more than Yordan Álvarez, further establishing him as one of the most consistent players in the Tampa Bay offense.
The Cuban was already a key player against the Yankees in the final stretch of the season. On September 23, CiberCuba reported that Díaz drove in four runs in the victory that secured the Rays the East Division title.
Víctor Mesa Jr. arrives at his first playoffs with Tampa Bay
For Víctor Mesa Jr., this postseason represents another important step in a season where he established himself in the Major Leagues.
The Havanese gardener played 79 games with Tampa Bay and finished the regular season with a batting average of .260, 14 home runs, 34 runs batted in, nine stolen bases, and an OPS of .825.
Mesa Jr. joined the Rays in February 2026 from the Miami Marlins. Tampa Bay acquired him in a trade after Miami designated him for assignment, and the Cuban ended up becoming an increasingly utilized player during the second half of the season.
His growth had one of its most notable points in September, when he was named Player of the Week in the American League following an explosive offensive performance during Tampa Bay's playoff run.
Rays and Yankees meet again
Tampa Bay arrives at this stage after finishing the season with a record of 98 wins and 64 losses, the best record in the American League, a result that allowed them to secure the top seed and advance directly to the Divisional Series.
The Rays also won seven of the 13 regular-season matchups against New York.
The Yankees took a different path. New York had to play in the Wild Card Series and advanced to the next round after sweeping the Boston Red Sox in two games.
Now the two rivals from the Eastern Division meet again, this time with a full season at stake and with Tampa Bay enjoying the advantage of starting at home.
The Rays' lineup will have Yandy tasked with leading off, followed by Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero. Mesa Jr., positioned sixth, will provide a left-handed option with power and speed in the latter half of the order.
For Cuban fans, the matchup adds a unique allure: two players born in Cuba will be in the lineup from the first pitch for the team with the best record in the American League, trying to bring Tampa Bay one step closer to the Championship Series.
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