27-year-old rookie makes MLB history with walk-off home run

The Tampa Bay Rays got the 2025 season off to a winning start with a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Friday. Forced to play at Steinbrenner Field while Tropicana Field is repaired after Hurricane Milton damage, the Rays enjoyed a historic Opening Day win.

On Wednesday 27-year-old rookie Kameron Misner was called up from Triple-A to replace Richie Palacios, who had suffered a broken finger. Making a rare MLB outing, Misner scored a dramatic walk-off home run to clinch the win.

In doing do, Misner became the first player to hit his first MLB home run for a walk-off on Opening Day. In front of a sell-out crowd of more than 10,000 fans Misner entered in the eighth innings and hammered a Victor Vodnik fastball high into the right-field seats.

“It’s like a Hollywood movie script right there,” teammate Ryan Pepiot joked after the game. “Your first home run is a walk-off home run. You can’t get any more electric than that.”

Who is Kameron Misner?

Misner’s first brush with MLB came in 2016 when he was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the 33rd round of the draft. However he opted instead to attend the University of Missouri and played college baseball for the Missouri Tigers.

Three years later he declared for the 2019 MLB Draft and was considered one of the top prospects, eventually selected by the Miami Marlins with the 35th overall pick. He was traded to the Rays in November 2021 and spent time in the Double-A and Triple-A leagues. Ahead of the 2025 season he was optioned to the Durham Bulls but the Palacios injury saw him jump up the pecking order and added to the Opening Day roster.

The Rays’ delight for Misner was clear in the immediate aftermath of his first-ever MLB homer. Teammates Christopher Morel and Junior Caminero soaked Misner with Powerade as soon as he crossed the plate and Rays manager Kevin Cash was full of praise for the unlikely hero.

“Our dugout erupted because we love the guy so much,” Cash told reporters. “You hear the coaches rave about him from Triple-A. ... Pretty easy-going guy. He can dish it and he can take it and it’s good for the clubhouse.”

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