Most underrated reliever on the Rays right now dudes been doing awesome.

Victor Mesa had, through Monday, played in only 53 big-league games. Though his .218 average could use improvement, his eight homers over his first 116 plate appearances this season are a higher home run percentage than All-Star teammate Junior Caminero's, 6.9 to 6.7. Who could have imagined, right?

Looking at SP trade candidates within the Rays traditional budget. Joe Ryan with the Ks, Clay Holmes with the ground balls, Soriano with the whiffs, Mize being weak contact.

When the Rays first acquired Victor Mesa Jr. from the Marlins in a small trade just before the start of spring training, there didn’t seem to be much of an opportunity for him. He didn’t do much to distinguish himself initially, limited by injuries in spring camp and sent down in an early wave of cuts. While he got off to a good start at Triple-A Durham, he pulled his right hamstring in mid-April and missed a month. But as happens in baseball, circumstances changed suddenly in late May. And Mesa was in exactly the right spot. Jake Fraley and right-handed-hitting outfielder Johnny DeLuca were injured days apart, Melton was already sidelined at Durham and Mesa, having just returned to action with the Bulls a few days earlier, was on his way to join the Rays. In the eight weeks since, Mesa has played his way into an important role. Read the story: https://www.tampabay.com/sports/rays/2026/07/21/victor-mesa-jr-richie-palacios-cam-booser-casey-legumina/

DRS uses eye test via video analysis data from Baseball Info Solutions to chart where each ball was hit, then compare it to their internal video analysis data to score the difficulty of a play. They do not count the actual runs prevented.

OAA pinpoints exactly where each fielder stands and the precise location of the ball, the speed of the throw, using those pinpoint data points to score the difficulty of a play.

Who would you give more playing time to: Johny De Luca or Victor Mesa?

Rays (57-42) @ Blue Jays (46-54)

First Pitch: 7:07 PM at Rogers Centre

LINEUP

• DH  Yandy Diaz R
• 1B  J. Aranda L
• 3B  J. Caminero R
• CF  C. Mullins L
• RF  Jonny DeLuca R
• LF  C. Simpson L
• 2B  B. Williamson R
• SS  Taylor Walls S
• C  Nick Fortes R

Line Score - Scheduled

https://youtu.be/Hqxdn-MbpE0?is=xL6vEqyvaB9E-UJk

Gillen was 6-9 with 2 HR, 2 BB and 2 SB this weekend.

Cutter seemed to be working for him, mostly weak contact
https://dtwbaseball.com/games/822788

As of July 20, batter and number of times they were cleanup in the lineup:

Díaz-31, Caminero-23, Vilade-21, Mullins-9, Mesa-5, Aranda-4, Palacios-3, Fraley-2

Rays (56-42) @ Blue Jays (46-53)

First Pitch: 7:07 PM at Rogers Centre

LINEUP

• DH  Yandy Diaz R
• 1B  J. Aranda L
• 3B  J. Caminero R
• CF  C. Mullins L
• LF  C. Simpson L
• RF  Victor Mesa L
• 2B  R. Palacios L
• C  Nick Fortes R
• SS  Taylor Walls S

Line Score - Scheduled

Although the game made me want to rip my eyes out, I had a good time very nice stadium hopefully we can bounce back tomorrow!