Rays' Kevin Cash Provides Positive Injury Update on Hamstring of Victor Mesa Jr.

How long will Victor Mesa Jr. of the Tampa Bay Rays be out for?

Aug 14, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. (25) hits a RBI single in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the Tampa Bay Rays continue to march toward October, the team has been playing very well of late, and there is reason to believe this could be a special year. 

With September right around the corner, the Rays are currently in first place not only in the American League East, but the league overall. There is a strong chance that the road to the World Series in the AL could run through Tampa Bay, and with one of the best records at home in the majors, they should like their chances. 

At the trade deadline, it was good to see the team get aggressive while not mortgaging their future by giving away some of their top-tier prospects. Keeping guys like Brody Hopkins and Theo Gillen is huge for the future, and the Rays are set up for success long-term. 

However, while the team has had success of late, they did see a key player recently get placed on the injured list. After some initial fears about a hamstring injury, Victor Mesa Jr. was able to return after a couple of days off, but was unfortunately pulled quickly after re-aggravating the injury. Now, with him being placed on the injured list, the hope is that it won’t be a long stay. 

Kevin Cash Provides Encouraging Update for Mesa Jr. 

Kevin Cash reiterated it’ll be “very close” to a minimum stint on the IL for Victor Mesa Jr. (left hamstring) as long as there’s no setbacks.

— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) August 20, 2026

Any time there is a soft tissue injury, there is always going to be a concern that it will take time to heal. However, the encouraging update from Cash looks like it might just be a couple of weeks for Mesa, which is great news. 

Due to injuries to players in the outfield, it has been Mesa who has been given some opportunity to play on a semi-regular basis. In 56 games this year, he has slashed .214/.288/.447 with 10 home runs and 22 RBI. 

The 24-year-old has provided the team with some excellent pop at the plate, and his absence from the lineup will be felt. 

Fortunately, with this not expected to be an injury that takes much longer than a stint on the IL to get better from, the Rays should be able to weather the storm. 

As Tampa Bay wraps up their series at home against the Toronto Blue Jays, they will then be on the road for six games. When they do return home, it will be against the San Diego Padres starting on August 28th. That series could perhaps be the one in which Mesa Jr. and the team might eye a return. Hopefully, there are no setbacks, and Mesa Jr. is back soon for the Rays.