Mesa Jr. enjoys full-circle moment in return to Rogers Centre after 11 years

TORONTO -- Victor Mesa Jr. was in a bit of a nostalgic mood before the Rays’ series-opening 7-1 win over the Blue Jays on Monday night.

He found and posted pictures in his Instagram story showing a younger version of himself, only 14 years old at the time, during a trip to Toronto in July 2015. There was one of him standing outside of Rogers Centre, pointing to the words “Home of the Toronto Blue Jays.” There was another of him underneath the CN Tower, pointing straight up, and another of him with a Blue Jays tour guide in the ballpark’s upper deck.

It’s a funny enough story in its own right. Mesa said he and his mother were in town to see the 2015 Pan American Games, having been invited by family friends they met in Cuba. They took a tour of Rogers Centre and came to a game, the first time Mesa stepped foot in a Major League ballpark -- and the only one he visited before eventually signing with the Marlins in 2018.

Mesa didn’t remember much about that game, but he recalled Monday afternoon that then-Jays slugger Josh Donaldson hit an opposite-field home run. Lining up the timeframe and the specifics of that homer, further research revealed the game took place on July 17, 2015, and it was against a fitting opponent: the Rays.

“That's when you see that God has everything right, and it feels amazing,” Mesa said. “It's crazy how life works. … I mean, I cannot believe it, that that happened. You know what I mean? Having that coincidence, one in 29 teams, is impressive.”

Back in the ballpark 11 years later, making his first trip to Rogers Centre as a big leaguer, Mesa ripped a solo homer to center field off Toronto’s Dylan Cease in the second inning of Monday's victory. It was Mesa’s third straight game with a home run, as he went deep in Boston on Saturday, legged out an inside-the-park homer on Sunday then crushed his fifth homer in his last nine games on Monday.

It was another big hit for Mesa, who is unexpectedly carving out a nice role for himself with Tampa Bay as a left-handed-hitting option in right and center field. The Rays acquired Mesa in a minor deal with the Marlins in February, then found themselves in need of his skill set when both Jake Fraley and No. 5 prospect Jacob Melton were injured.

After Monday’s game, Mesa spent a little extra time on the field talking to a man named Nick, the same family friend who invited him to Toronto more than a decade ago.

It all meant a lot to Mesa, more memories he won’t soon forget.

“God. You know what I mean?” Mesa said. “I work, and I feel great. I feel that I'm putting good swings on the ball, and let's keep swinging.”