Mesa is not in the lineup Tuesday for Game 4 of the World Series versus the Brewers.
Mesa has had a rough postseason, going 6-for-39 (.154) with a 34.1 percent strikeout rate. He'll begin Tuesday's festivities on the bench but could make an appearance mid-game. Ryan Vilade will start in right field and will bat seventh as the Rays try to stave off elimination.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Sitting versus southpaw
Rotowire
Mesa is out of the lineup for Game 5 of the ALCS against the Guardians on Sunday.
The 25-year-old has started all seven of Tampa Bay's playoff games, but he'll head to the bench Sunday against Cleveland lefty Parker Messick. Mesa clubbed a decisive two-run homer in Game 3 of the ALDS versus the Yankees, but overall he's batting just .160 (4-for-25) with 11 strikeouts in October.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Blasts decisive homer
Rotowire
Mesa went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run during Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old went 1-for-6 with a walk and a stolen base in the first two games of the series, but he found his power stroke Wednesday with a sixth-inning homer that broke a 2-2 tie and proved to be the difference in the outcome. Mesa is coming off a productive rookie campaign that saw him post an .825 OPS with 14 homers, nine steals, 34 RBI and 37 runs in 79 regular-season games.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Four-hit effort in rout
Rotowire
Mesa went 4-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and three runs scored in Saturday's 12-1 win over the Phillies.
Mesa drove in a run on a single in the fifth inning before lacing an RBI double in the sixth. It was the 25-year-old's first career four-hit performance, and he's hitting .333 with 10 extra-base hits, 11 RBI and 17 runs scored over 22 September games. Overall, he's slashing .260/.328/.502 with 14 homers, 33 RBI, 37 runs scored and nine steals across his first 258 major-league plate appearances.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Extends hit streak in rout
Rotowire
Mesa went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, two RBI and three runs scored in Sunday's 14-4 win over the Astros.
Mesa was a thorn in the Astros' side from the cleanup spot, falling a homer short of the cycle and scoring each time he reached base. The 25-year-old has hit safely in nine straight games, and he owns a ridiculous 1.300 OPS with seven extra-base hits, eight RBI, 12 runs scored and three steals through 12 September contests. For the season, he's slashing .261/.330/.518 with 13 homers, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored and nine stolen bases across 223 plate appearances.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Sitting Thursday
Rotowire
Mesa is not in the lineup Thursday against the Rangers.
Mesa has gone 3-for-8 across the two games he's played in since returning from a strained left hamstring Tuesday. He'll receive some rest Thursday while Jonny DeLuca gets the start in right field and bats fifth.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Three hits in return to lineup Tuesday
Rotowire
Mesa went 3-for-4 with two runs scored in Tuesday's 6-2 win over the Mets.
With Jonny DeLuca getting the nod in center field against southpaw Sean Manaea and Ryan Vilade manning first base in place of Jonathan Aranda, Mesa was the last man standing on the right field depth chart. He made only his second start of the season against a same-handed pitcher and came through with a surprisingly productive effort, tying his season high in hits and crossing the plate in the third and eighth innings. It was Mesa's first game action since Aug. 18 due to a hamstring strain, but he may be able to escape getting pigeon-holed as a platoon player if he keeps it up -- over 48 career plate appearances against left-handed pitching, the 24-year-old has a .302/.348/.465 slash line and just a 14.6 percent strikeout rate.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Comes off IL
Rotowire
The Rays reinstated Mesa (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list Tuesday.
The 24-year-old has been sidelined since Aug. 18 due to a strained left hamstring, but he's ready to rejoin the active roster after going 4-for-18 with two homers during a five-game rehab assignment. Mesa and Jonny DeLuca could operate as a platoon in right field, with Mesa holding the advantage for playing time as a left-handed hitter.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Slated for activation Tuesday
Rotowire
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Monday that Mesa (hamstring) will be activated from the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Mesa played five rehab games with Triple-A Durham, going 4-for-18 with a pair of home runs. The 24-year-old landed on the IL in mid-August with a strained left hamstring. Once back on the active roster, Mesa will likely be mixed and matched with Jonny DeLuca in right field.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Scheduled for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Mesa (hamstring) will embark on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham on Wednesday, Ryan Bass of Rays.tv reports.
Mesa landed on the 10-day injured list Aug. 19 after aggravating a left hamstring injury. Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters Monday that Mesa will play "a couple of games" in Durham, and if all goes well, the 24-year-old outfielder could be back with the parent club when eligible to come off the IL on Saturday.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Good to go Tuesday
Rotowire
Mesa (hamstring) is starting in right field and batting sixth Tuesday against the Blue jays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The 24-year-old didn't start the past three games after exiting Friday's contest due to left hamstring tightness, but he's back in action Tuesday against Toronto righty Jose Soriano. Mesa has been performing well at the plate lately with five extra-base hits (two homers) and a .955 OPS across his last eight games.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Omitted from lineup Sunday
Rotowire
Mesa (hamstring) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Mesa exited Friday's 6-5 loss after seven innings due to left hamstring tightness and will be left out of the starting nine for a second straight day. According to MLB.com, manager Kevin Cash labeled Mesa as day-to-day and said that the young outfielder is "going to be OK," so Mesa appears likely to avoid a stint on the injured list. Mesa was able to make a pinch-hitting appearance in Saturday's 4-3 extra-inning loss, which suggests that his absence Sunday may have more to do with a lefty (Trevor Rogers) starting for the Orioles than the hamstring injury.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Sitting out Saturday
Rotowire
Mesa (hamstring) isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Baltimore, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Mesa was pulled from Friday's contest due to tightness in his left hamstring, and he'll take a day off Saturday to heal. Jonny DeLuca will fill in as Tampa Bay's right fielder and bat sixth.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Dealing with hamstring tightness
Rotowire
Mesa was removed from Friday's game against the Orioles with left hamstring tightness, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Manager Kevin Cash said after the game that he doesn't believe Mesa is dealing with anything serious and can be considered day-to-day. If Mesa ends up having to sit out a game or two, Jonny DeLuca would figure to take over as Tampa Bay's right fielder.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Goes yard Saturday
Rotowire
Mesa went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Mariners.
Mesa has gone 5-for-11 with four extra-base hits over his last three games. The outfielder got the Rays on the board Saturday with his blast in the fourth inning. Mesa is now batting .220 with a .754 OPS, nine homers, 19 RBI, 19 runs scored, five stolen bases, three doubles and two triples over 50 contests this season. He continues to work primarily in a strong-side platoon role.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Logs fifth steal
Rotowire
Mesa went 2-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in Friday's 2-1 win over the Mariners.
Mesa has a pair of multi-hit efforts over his last two games after going 0-for-14 over the previous four contests. The outfielder's inconsistency at the plate will likely lead to him remaining in a strong-side platoon role in right field for the foreseeable future. Mesa is batting .219 with a .739 OPS, eight home runs, five steals, 18 RBI, 18 runs scored, three doubles and two triples over 155 plate appearances this season.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Left out of lineup vs. lefty
Rotowire
Mesa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The left-handed hitter will retreat to the bench for the series finale while southpaw Anthony Kay toes the rubber for the White Sox. Jonny DeLuca will replace Mesa in right field and bat sixth.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Idle against southpaw
Rotowire
Mesa is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.
The left-handed hitter will hit the bench for the second time in the series, with both of his absences coming against lefty starters. Jonny DeLuca will get the call in right field in place of Mesa, who has produced a .265/.339/.592 slash line with five home runs, three stolen bases, eight runs and nine RBI through 17 games in July.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Two RBI in win
Rotowire
Mesa went 2-for-3 with two RBI in Wednesday's 4-2 win against the Blue Jays.
Mesa opened the scoring for the Rays in the second inning with an RBI single that plated Chandler Simpson and then provided a much-needed insurance run with a sixth-inning knock off Jeff Hoffman that drove home Junior Caminero. Mesa's bat has come alive in July after a rough June, and he's homered in three of his last four games while recording five RBI. With the recent surge, the 24-year-old has boosted his season slash line to .231/.319/.481 with eight home runs and 17 RBI over 120 plate appearances across 38 games.
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Rays' Victor Mesa: Absent from lineup
Rotowire
Mesa is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game in Toronto.
Mesa had homered in three straight contests -- including in Monday's series opener -- but he'll grab a seat Tuesday. Jonny DeLuca will handle right field for the Rays.
