Generally all a participant wants is an opportunity. That was the case for Rays outfielder Kameron Misner on Friday.
Misner led off the underside of the ninth with the Rays and Rockies tied at 2-2. He turned on the primary pitch he noticed from reliever Victor Vodnik, belting a 97 mph fastball off the plate inside deep to proper for a walk-off residence run, solely the second time that the Rays had a walk-off Opening Day homer. That homer was the primary of Misner’s main league profession.
Misner was not anticipated to be in that state of affairs. He had initially been slated to start the 2025 season in Triple-A however was recalled when outfielder Richie Palacios landed on the injured checklist with a fractured proper ring finger. Misner entered the sport within the high of the eighth inning as a defensive substitute after beginning left fielder Christopher Morel was lifted for a pinch hitter within the backside of the seventh.
Ranked because the Rays’ 27th-best prospect per FanGraphs, the 27-year-old outfielder has been lauded for his athleticism and energy. Nonetheless, Misner had struggled in his transient time within the majors in 2024. He was 1-15 with ten strikeouts over his three weeks with the Rays earlier than ending the yr in Triple-A.
Nonetheless, Misner had a robust exhibiting through the spring. He produced a .394/.474/.667 batting line in his 38 plate appearances, hitting two homers and three doubles. Misner had carried out effectively sufficient to earn a spot on the Rays Opening Day roster; he simply wanted that likelihood to open up.
