The Rays are sitting in a strong spot in the AL East, and the margin they’ve built has plenty to do with the kind of steady production that can carry a team through September.
Tampa Bay leads the New York Yankees by five games with 10 games left in its regular-season schedule, and Junior Caminero has been the headline act. The third baseman has launched 40 or more home runs for the second straight year and is being mentioned as a possible AL MVP candidate.
But the Rays have gotten a serious boost from another bat lately. Rookie outfielder Victor Mesa has gone from a quiet addition to a major part of the lineup’s punch.
"[Victor] Mesa played in 16 big-league games for the Marlins last season, but had a .641 OPS. They traded him to Tampa Bay in February for a 19-year-old infielder," Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller wrote.
"He has been sensational in his new home since mid-July, posting a .961 OPS with 10 home runs over his last 42 games played. Save for Junior Caminero, he has become the Rays' best slugger," Miller wrote.
That label says a lot about how hot Mesa has been. Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda are also obvious candidates when you start sorting through Tampa Bay’s best hitters, but Mesa has been hammering the ball and forcing his way into the conversation.
He backed that up Sunday against the Houston Astros, going 3-for-5 with a double, a triple and two RBIs.
And it isn’t just the power. Mesa has also stolen nine bases in 13 attempts, giving the Rays another layer of speed to work with as they chase the division.
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