Jake Mangum Hits Two Homers To Continue Scorching Spring
It’s hard to see how outfielder Jake Mangum could crack the Rays’ Opening Day roster, but the 29-year-old switch-hitter is doing everything he can to make that a tough decision. Mangum homered twice on Sunday, and is now hitting .462/.500/.808 in 29 plate appearances this spring. Mangum has played all three outfield spots and is coming off of a .317/.357/.442 2024 season at Triple-A Durham. The Rays added him to the 40-man roster in the offseason, so he’s very much in the team’s short-term plans, but with José Caballero and Richie Palacios ticketed to be multi-position backups and Curtis Mead hitting enough to fill another backup role, Mangum will likely need to spend a bit more time in Durham waiting for an opportunity.
