Rays Manager Kevin Cash Had Hilarious Response to Jake Mangum's Walkup Song

TAMPA, Fla. — It only took a couple of decades of baseball for 29-year-old Jake Mangum to become an overnight sensation with the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night.

Mangum, a former Mississippi State legend and all-time hits leader in the SEC, has toiled in the minor leagues since 2019. But in his second game in the big leagues, he had four hits against the Pirates in a 6-1 victory. In his last at-bat, the sold-out crowd at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa was even chanting his name in true hero-worship form.

A few days early, most of the fans had no idea who he was. An overnight sensation, indeed. People were even singing along to his ''Your Love'' walk-up song. "Josie's on a vacation far away ...'''

"I think what was pretty cool was that last at bat we heard some Mangum chats,'' Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "I don't recall that happening before. You can tell the fan base got behind him and he's got a good walk-out song that you see.

"I wish more guys would pick out walk-out songs that the crowd could appreciate and maybe enjoy because some of those walk-out songs are atrocious.''

Cash, who's in his 11th year managing the Rays, had a nine-year major-league career too as a backup catcher. He was a career .183 hitter, so he drew a laugh when a reporter asked him what his walkup song was.

"It was more of a walk-back song,'' he said with a smile.

Mangum, who was called up when Tampa Bay right fielder Josh Lowe suffered an oblique injury on Opening Day, is back in the lineup Tuesday night. He's batting fourth and playing right field vs. the Pirates.

"Just given who's in and who's out and trying to create a little bit of a challenge for the opposition rather than piling a lot of lefties and righties together,'' Cash said of the decision to bat Magnum cleanup. "We kind of staggered the lineup. He won't be hitting fourth for us, and we'll continue to mix around the lineups.''

Mangum had two hits on both sides of the plate Monday,. That versatility is nice, as is his ability to play multiple outfield positons.

''You've got to be able to be a good at being a switch hitter. He's a complete player and we saw a lot of that last night. He did a lot on the bases, in the box and even defensively he made some plays for us.''

The Rays are 3-1 so far. It's Shane Baz vs. Thomas Harrington on Tuesday. The game starts at 7:05 p.m. ET

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