St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Jake Mangum (28) reacts to Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier (26) after stealing second base in the third inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Tampa Bay Rays Rookie Jake Mangum Joins Exclusive List in MLB History Books

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Sam Connon | Last updated Apr 2, 2025 10:41 AM ET

Jake Mangum's MLB debut on Sunday was largely uneventful.

The Tampa Bay Rays outfielder drew a walk and struck out once, failing to leave much of a mark in his team's 6-4 victory. In the two games since then, however, Mangum has been historically productive, both at the plate and on the basepaths.

Mangum went 4-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, a run and two stolen bases in Monday's series-opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He followed that up with another stellar performance Tuesday, going 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs, two runs and a stolen base.

According to Underdog Fantasy's Justin Havens, Mangum is the first American League player with at least seven hits, four RBIs and three stolen bases over a single-season two-game span since Ian Kinsler in 2009. Shohei Ohtani is the last player to do so on the National League side, achieving the feat just last year on his way to MVP honors.

Mangum is the first MLB player to hit all of those marks without striking out since Jimmy Rollins in 2008 – the year after the Philadelphia Phillies shortstop won NL MVP and the same season he won his only World Series ring.

Jake Mangum is the first player since Shohei Ohtani last season and the first AL player since Ian Kinsler in 2009 with at least 7 hits, 4 RBI and 3 SB over a 2-game span (same season). He is the first player to do so with 0 strikeouts since Jimmy Rollins in 2008. https://t.co/UOgsmHVhV2
— nugget chef (@jayhaykid) April 2, 2025

Mangum got his start as the New York Mets' fourth round pick in 2019, slowly working his way up to Triple-A by 2022. The Mets traded him to the Marlins in ahead of the 2023 season, while the Marlins flipped him to the Rays prior to the 2024 campaign.

In 256 games at the Triple-A level, Mangum hit .310 with 13 home runs, 70 doubles, 10 triples, 129 RBIs, 43 stolen bases and a .791 OPS. He then hit .429 with a 1.217 OPS in spring training, establishing himself as a viable option for Tampa Bay's big league roster.

The Rays called Mangum up on Saturday, right after Josh Lowe hit the injured list with a strained right oblique. That paved the way for the 29-year-old to finally make his MLB debut and ultimately help lead Tampa Bay to some key early-season victories.

Mangum is batting third and starting in left field for the Rays' series finale against the Pirates on Wednesday as they try to extend their winning streak to four games. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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