Backup Catcher Rene Pinto Makes the Most of MLB Debut With Home Run

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Rene Pinto has waited a long time to play in a major-league baseball game. He finally got the chance on Tuesday night, and he made the most of it.

Pinto, a 25-year-old Venezuelan who was signed by the Rays as a teenager, was called up last weekend after catcher Francisco Mejia had to go on the COVID-19 list, He wasn't sure when — or even if — he was going to get a chance to play.

But on Tuesday night, with the Mariners leading 7-0, starting catcher Mike Zunino left the game with a minor left biceps injury. In went Pinto.

And in his first at-bat in the bottom of the seventh, he rifled a ball into the right-field seats for a two-run homer. 

“First off, glory to God. It was so cool,'' Pinto said. "It feels almost like I was flying. It was such a great feeling.”

Rays staff members were able to get the ball back from the fan who caught it in the bleachers. With no family members at his first game — he's sure they were watching on TV — the souvenir ball will soon have a new home.

“I’m going to save [the home run ball] and send it to my parents,” he said. Pinto also got a hit in his second at-bat, lacing a 100 mph fastball from Andres Munoz back up the middle. 

One night, 2-for-2, and memories made that last a lifetime, despite the 8-4 loss.

“It’s incredible,” Tampa Bay second baseman Brandon Lowe said. “Especially for him to be able to come in and not only debut and make this day special, but come in, get your first hit, get your first homer, get your first RBI. It was really, really fun to watch, honestly.

“To kind of watch the first at-bat go by and him kind of just calculate things. He made those adjustments and understood what he needed to do. The second at-bat he had, he looked like he’d been a pro for 10 years.”

Pinto was signed by the Rays as a 16-year-old free agent in 2013 and has been working his way up the organization little by little. He's been considered one of the organizations's top prospects for a while, and is a solid two-way catcher. He's got a strong arm, and some pop in his bat. Last year, he hit .274 with 20 home runs and 60 RBIs in 93 games between Double-A Montgomery and Triple-A Durham.

Like most minor-leaguers, he didn't play at all in 2020 because of COVID. So now, he gets his chance. He was the 10th Rays player to make his first hit a home run. Wander Franco did it most recently in his debut last summer, and Franco was there to greet Pinto with a huge huge after Tuesday's bash. 

According to MLB, Pinto was the first person to homer for his first hit while coming off the bench since Seattle’s Greg Dobbs did it in 2004.

Zunino's injury is expected to be minor, and a determination on his availability will be made later on Wednesday. It's not a reach to expect Pinto to get his first start since the Rays have an afternoon game on Thursday after Wednesday night's game.

Cash said he still has no idea when Mejia will be back. He's been missed. He's hitting .348 with two homers and 10 RBIs in just 23 at-bats. COVID issues continue to be a problem in the Rays' locker room, with no immediate end in sight.

“A bunch of people came in and retested (Monday) and the report is still not good,”  Cash said. “So far, we’ve been fortunate that it hasn’t affected too many players, but it has certainly affected staff and support staff. So we wish them well.

“We’re dropping people pretty quick. And we’re doing everything we can to keep it contained.”

Mejia tested positive last Thursday after the team’s return from Chicago, and has missed four games now. Cash is hoping he won't be out much longer.

“He has done everything on his end to be vaccinated, boosted, all of those things,” Cash said. “So now it’s just a matter of getting some negative tests where the numbers say that he’s not contagious.”

Rays infielder Yandy Diaz and relief pitcher Jeffrey Springs each missed a game this weekend as a precaution after close contact.