ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays reinstated Victor Mesa Jr. from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday afternoon, as expected, getting the athletic outfielder back in the mix as active rosters expanded from 26 to 28 players for the final month of the regular season.
Mesa had been on the IL since Aug. 19 due to a left hamstring strain, which had limited him to one pinch-hit appearance and one abbreviated start since the issue forced him to leave the Rays’ 6-5 loss to the Orioles on Aug. 14.
The Rays also recalled right-handed reliever Alex Cook from Triple-A Durham to round out their roster. They are expected to activate starter Griffin Jax from the 15-day injured list to rejoin their rotation in the coming days, potentially as soon as Wednesday.
Mesa’s .214 batting average with the Rays may not jump off the page, but he played a valuable role for Tampa Bay before going on the IL. In 56 games this season, he has recorded 10 home runs, 22 RBIs and six stolen bases. He is a quality defender all over the outfield, and his strong arm is an asset in right field.
Despite his relatively limited playing time, Mesa ranks 12th on the Rays with 1.2 wins above replacement, according to Baseball Reference. Tampa Bay called on Mesa to serve as the primary right fielder against right-handed pitching after losing Jake Fraley to a hernia, which he is still working his way back from.
In Mesa’s absence, the Rays had been using right-handed hitters Jonny DeLuca and Ryan Vilade in right field.