TAMPA, Fla. (WWSB) – The final month of the Major League Baseball regular season is. The Tampa Bay Rays are already postseason bound.
The wait is now to see if they will secure the 2026 A.L. East division title. However, the Rays along with the rest of the league are participating in something bigger than baseball this week.
This week is Roberto Clemente Day. It’s a day established by the league in recognition of the Hall of Famer who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
He died in a plane crash on New Year’s Eve in 1972 while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. The importance of the day is not lost on players, even if they hadn’t been born yet when Clemente was playing.
“Obviously, it’s especially special for the Latin America community,” Nick Martinez, a right-handed pitcher for the Rays said. “What he’s done for this game, and the various charities he’s worked with, I feel proud.”
“It’s an honor for me to be here representing on this day,” Victor Mesa Jr., an outfielder for the Rays said. “A lot of the Latin players, for us we are very proud.”
The special day is also centered around the Roberto Clemente Award, which is considered baseball’s most prestigious individual award. This recognizes the major league player who best represents the game through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.
This year’s nominee for the Tampa Bay Rays is outfielder Cedric Mullins. Through his performance campaigns, Mullins prioritizes his philanthropic commitment by helping nonprofit organizations sustain programs that directly give back to the individuals and groups they serve.
Mullins also supports children facing serious illnesses. A big part of this is his own personal journey as an athlete with Chron’s disease. He described the nomination as a huge honor.
“It’s super cool,” Mullins said. “I’ve been seeing guys over the years being honored with this award. I’ve been striving for it for years. I just feel like, personally, whatever journey you’re on there’s always going to be assistance along the way.”
If you would like to nominate Mullins for this year’s Roberto Clemente Award, you can click on this link.
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