AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: GUARDIANS VS RAYS

October 14, 2026

Victor Mesa Jr.

Progressive Field

Tampa Bay Rays

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Your coaches talk a lot about how good your baseball instincts are, like when you were going from first to third on that play last night. Have you always had that natural feel for the game, or where do you think that comes from?

VICTOR MESA JR.: I appreciate it -- Cashy who said that? Or whoever, I feel that always trying to do something to pour something into the team. I saw the game just played like that, and it's those things that either you do it or not. You don't have time to think. And I know Chandler got very good options to be safe on that play.

I saw Ramírez kind of went to -- he tried to get that chopper as well, and I felt I could take my shot out there, and it went well.

I feel that as soon as I play, I'm always going to follow like that. Sometimes are going to be good, sometimes it's going to be not the smartest play. But I feel that offensively and defensively I always try to look for something else.

I always like to, for example, when we talk Wallsy, you see he's the same mindset. He's always like trying to think something else and something that you appreciated to see like people like that always looking for the extra step.

Q. So much of baseball now in today's era is about analytics and math and putting numbers out that you can kind of learn from yourself about. But as he was mentioning, you kind of play with instinct. How much do you rely on that versus the analytics in today's game?

VICTOR MESA JR.: 100 percent. I feel that that's not my desire. I'm always looking for what I do on the field. I feel that that's the instincts, work. But it's not analytics.

I respect that, and I respect obviously how the team works, does stats. But I feel that's not my part. I always focus on enjoying the game and trying to give something else to my team. It's not really that I'm looking for, I don't know, a percentage.

I'm looking for my heart and my brain for the computer, in the best way, you know what I mean? I control what I can control.

Q. We've heard the stories about how many legends your dad thinks you could grow up to be like in this game. And you've been very humble that you're just going to be yourself day to day and do the job in front. But do big moments like this, being on this stage, let you dream a little more about what your career could look like?

VICTOR MESA JR.: Yeah, of course. I always try to talk to people that passed through this already. I feel blessed that I could talk to them.

But at the end of the day, you never feel those words until it happens to yourself. And I feel that right now I'm living my moment and our moment as a team. But I don't want it to sound bad to you what I'm going to say, but I'm a little bit ignorant in the way that I kind of, when I'm on the field, I kind of forget that we're in playoff.

I know that it's a lot on the plate, obviously, but it's that I kind of forget that we're in playoff and (indiscernible) everything for me. And I think for most of the team it's more about nine innings, win every inning, win every pitch be ready and not focus that much about the momentum or things from outside that could be a lot in your ear.

It's more about keep focused. At the end of the day, it's true that this is the most important part of the season. But I feel at the end of the day it's 27 outs. I want to treat it that way.

Q. How much of the instincts do you think come from being from a baseball family? You grew up in baseball.

VICTOR MESA JR.: A lot. I feel that since I was a kid I've been in dugouts, I've been in training rooms. I don't know. But I feel being around and seeing what people does, what you like and what you don't, I think always the way that I see is that I see so many things in so many different ways.

I always try to give and take what helped me, where I feel it could help me. I always talk about who my favorite players are, each player that they can do everything on the field. And that's the player I want to be, I know I always try to be every day when I'm on the field. I feel that I watch a lot of things for those guys and try to put it on my game.

Q. You guys have one of the best defensive outfields in the league. How much pride do you as a unit and then you as your individual self take into being able to cover ground and defend and protect your pitchers?

VICTOR MESA JR.: Yeah, I feel that to win games you've got to pour in many different ways. I'm very proud of the work that we do with Corey. He's been a huge part of what we do in the outfield.

Obviously, we've got to be there. We want it. That's why we kind of got better as a group. And that's why we've got a couple of finalists in the Gold Glove, you know?

I feel like that we've got to take pride of that. It's not only hidden. To win playoff games you've got to be good at many different things. So always trying to look the little edge of the table, and I feel defense is one of them. So I'm very proud of us and what we do. So hopefully nothing dropped.

Q. From the perspective of having a veteran around who is also from Cuba, how much has Yandy helped you kind of deal with things?

VICTOR MESA JR.: A lot. Especially the way that he is, I feel that he's way, way more than a DH. You know what I mean? He's a great personality inside.

I like the way that he prepares. People think that he's only a big arm, but he isn't. He works -- his body completely, he's always in the gym, always looking to see where the pitcher got whatever. So, yeah, very proud of what he do and what he helped us and obviously looking him as a role model.

Q. Do you ever go in the weight room with him and try to outlift him?

VICTOR MESA JR.: I think that ain't going to work. I might get hurt.

(Laughter.)

So I feel that the best advice that I could give is that everyone is different in the way that he prepares for what he does, I prepare for what I do. But obviously I've got to admire what he does because he's always putting himself in a good spot to do damage.

Q. How did you learn to speak English so well so quickly? I know you've spent --

VICTOR MESA JR.: You speak better than me? (Laughter) No, I'm kidding. On my first year when I got here, I just know only two phrases. I'm not lying. And with this pronunciation, it was, "What is your name?" And "Where are you from?" I didn't know anything else from those two things.

I remember, we went trying to sign and everything, you do meetings with teams and everything, and I never been scared to make a mistake and everything.

We were eating with Derek Jeter, and I never said this before, but he told me something about, "How are you?" As simple as that, but I was -- but I always say, I'm going to answer, if I make a mistake.

I said, "Yeah, I'm 17 years old." And he started to laugh at me because he knows my personality. I'm not scared to do that. And it was a very funny moment. But besides that, I always said that I'm -- I would say I'm not afraid to the cameras, to everything. So I know I would not like to be in a room without knowing what the people are talking. You know?

And I feel that learning English is going to help me. But that's what I was thinking at that time, that that's going to help me for the future, for my family, for the makeup, to be a good teammate, for finances, whatever.

So feel I made myself part of this country and it's something that I appreciate. Yeah, I feel to live here, you've got to learn. And after that, it's because of Nasim Nuñez, he was my teammate. We were five years together in the Marlins.

At the beginning, I don't know, I like vibes. And I liked him a lot. And I was with him in the car. He put me on NBA YoungBoy. I don't understand anything. But then with the time, when you like a person, you are going to start to see the lyrics and everything, that's what I learned. And last part is because I liked "Blacklist," the show, a lot. I put it in English, because I know that I was so into it that I'm not going to take it out. That's how I learned.

Obviously, it was not like that at the beginning. I learned the basics, but that's mostly like the beginning.

Q. Going for the turtleneck in Game 1 at home under the roof, so I know this seems like a simple question. But having to transition, it's not just rainy, it's cold here, to step out from that. What are you doing to kind of be able to block all those elements out and have your best play in the outfield. Because you were still wearing a turtleneck but you were still inside temperature-controlled. Now you're going to be fully in the elements, wondering what that step is for you to try not make that affect you.

VICTOR MESA JR.: No, even, like, it's a turtleneck but it's a thin leather. So I feel with Cuban players, you can look in the past, but we don't really care about the weather. We like to wear it.

I don't know why, but you can see when somebody's Cuban, they like to wear that turtleneck. I see Yuli Gurriel. Trust me, like a bunch of players in the past wear it. I like it. I feel that it look kind of cool. It's even a short turtleneck.

What I was wearing, I always wear a sleeve. But I would say that I don't really care about the weather; I focus on the game.

I always say that, especially now in the playoffs, if the game finished and I'm not tired physically and mentally, I feel that I don't give my 100 percent. And I feel that after these games/playoffs I'm going to be kind of tired. So I feel that I'm doing my best.

Obviously, I always think I could be better and I could do better. But I understand that it's another team win, that's the most important. But proud of what we're doing and keep supporting the team. That's what.

Q. You've talked so much about keeping it light but also having a competitive spirit at the same time. When you talk about having fun in the game, you look at players like yourself, Junior Caminero, José Ramírez, how important is that for this era of baseball to have that competitive spirit but also have fun while doing it?

VICTOR MESA JR.: I don't like to lose. We were playing dominos yesterday and we all got mad, you know what I mean?

I feel like that's the spirit that we've got. Even yesterday when I got to third base, Ramírez asked me if I steal on that play. I said no, I didn't steal. But I see that his question was going more like, why he means on that play, you know what I mean? I think that spirit. I feel that it's very grateful to be in this spot with all like very good competitors and whoever wants it more, I think, is going to get it.

I always wanted to win. I always try to win every pitch. That's why I said, especially mentally, I always, if I don't finish a game tired, I feel that I'm not doing my best.

That's why I say I'm so focused that I don't even hear the noise, whatever, I'm locking in on the hitter, locking in on the pitcher, locking on the runners, and for me that's what you take those little details to win the games.