Rays place OF Victor Mesa Jr. (hamstring) on injured list

Field Level Media|published: 08/19/2026, 6:17pm EDT

Aug 8, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. (25) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays placed outfielder Victor Mesa Jr. on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a left hamstring injury.

After missing the previous three games, Mesa returned to the lineup Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays. The right fielder was hit by a pitch in the second inning and removed for a pinch hitter before his next at-bat in the fourth in the Blue Jays' 10-5 road victory.

"I think our hope is it's a minimum stint. He's a big part of our team," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "He's done a lot of good things with some limited opportunities to start, and then he made the most of it and kind of came in and contributed quite a bit."

Mesa, 24, is batting .214 with 10 home runs and 22 RBIs in 56 games in his first season with the Rays, who acquired him in a February trade with the Miami Marlins.

Tampa Bay also optioned right-hander Jesse Scholtens to Triple-A Durham. In corresponding moves, the Rays recalled catcher Kenny Piper and right-hander Chris Roycroft from Durham.

Scholtens, 32, is 5-3 with a 4.03 ERA, 14 walks and 34 strikeouts in 44 2/3 innings over 11 games (two starts) this season.

--Field Level Media