Take it from Kameron Misner, dreams do come true.
Misner, a 27-year-old outfielder with one career hit to his name entering the Tampa Bay Rays' first game of the season against the Colorado Rockies at a new home in George M. Steinbrenner Field on Friday, ended up delivering in the game's biggest moment.
With the game tied at 2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Misner stepped up to the plate as the leadoff batter, and wasted no time in leaving his mark on the game. The Poplar Bluff, Mo., native swung at the first pitch he saw and sent it over the right field wall for his second career hit, first career home run, and a walk-off for Tampa Bay.
First-pitch swinging!
— MLB (@MLB) March 28, 2025
Kameron Misner's first career home run is a WALK-OFF home run! pic.twitter.com/77K0dpZJQQ
Making the moment even more impressive is the fact that Misner didn't start the game; he entered as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning. Misner is a former first-round pick in the 2019 MLB draft who first made his big-league debut in an eight-game stint with the Rays in '24. Friday's game represented his first taste of Opening Day, as he made the Rays' roster after he was optioned to Triple-A during the spring.
Kameron Misner's second career hit was a WALK-OFF HOMER on @RaysBaseball Opening Day 👏
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 28, 2025
"Today's a dream come true."#MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/9uRqXAfkfC
"I mean, it's everything," Misner said of making the Rays' roster in a postgame interview with MLB Network. "It's everything you work for since you were a kid. It's what you look forward to. I mean, today is a dream come true so I'm fortunate enough to help the team win."
After a strong spring, Misner is likely to get more opportunities to help the Rays win moving forward.
More MLB on Sports Illustrated
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kameron Misner Hits First Career Home Run, Walks It Off for Rays: 'Dream Come True'.
