Víctor Mesa Jr. Named AL Player of the Week After .636 OBP Stretch

September 25, 2026

Cuban outfielder Víctor Mesa Jr. of the Tampa Bay Rays was named American League Player of the Week for Sept. 8–13, 2026, the first weekly honor of his Major League career, according to Peninsula Herald and Devil Rays Daily after MLB’s announcement.

Over that span Mesa Jr. reached base in 14 of 22 plate appearances (.636 OBP), hit .555, collected six extra-base hits and homered in three consecutive games, posting a .555/.636/1.278 slash line. Tampa Bay went 5-1 against Atlanta and Houston and clinched its first postseason berth since 2023.

The son of legendary Cuban player and manager Víctor Mesa Martínez and brother of Víctor Víctor Mesa, the 25-year-old Havana native joined the Rays in February 2026 after being designated by Miami. Since July 7 he has hit .317 with a 1.014 OPS across 40 games and leads Tampa Bay outfielders in Defensive Runs Saved.

The award is the 45th Player of the Week honor in Rays franchise history and the first for the club since Junior Caminero in 2025. Mesa Jr. has been on the active roster since Sept. 1 and enters the final stretch of the regular season as a key piece of an AL East contender.