Víctor Mesa Jr.'s Go-Ahead Homer Completes Rays' Sweep of the Yankees and Sends Tampa Bay to the ALCS

October 8, 2026

Cuban outfielder Víctor Mesa Jr. broke a tie with a two-run home run in the sixth inning, lifting the Tampa Bay Rays to a 4-3 win over the New York Yankees on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, in Game 3 of the American League Division Series. The victory completed a three-game sweep and put the Rays in the AL Championship Series for the first time since 2020, according to the Associated Press and ESPN.

Mesa's drive came off Max Fried, and Ryan Vilade also homered for Tampa Bay. The Yankees briefly thought they had tied the game when Anthony Volpe sent a ball toward the left-field seats over Mesa's head, but after a review the umpires ruled fan interference, placing Volpe at second base with New York still trailing 4-3. Fellow Cuban Yandy Díaz went 1-for-4 as the designated hitter.

"That's the moment that you want to live when you're growing up," the 25-year-old said afterward. The son of Cuban baseball great and former national team manager Víctor Mesa, he left Cuba in 2018 at age 16 with his older brother, Víctor Víctor Mesa, and both signed with the Miami Marlins. "We knew that we wanted to live moments like this," he said.

Miami designated Mesa for assignment just before spring training and traded him to Tampa Bay in February for infielder Angel Brachi. He opened the season in the minors and was called up at the end of May. The Rays will host the winner of the Cleveland Guardians–Chicago White Sox series in the ALCS opener on Monday.