Acce s the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. It took six years for Mets draft pick Jake Mangum to make his debut at Citi Field only he wasnt wearing their uniform. It was a long and winding road that led the 29-year-old Rays rookie to Queens on Friday night. When I got drafted and spent four years with the Mets, this is where your dream destination was, Mangum said . To get here and play a game here really cool. Great atmosphere, really loud, really crowded and it was good to see some old friends on the other side. And Mangum made the most of it when he knocked in a two-run single in the sixth inning to start a six-run rally for Tampa Bay that ultimately ended Alejandro Kirk Jersey up winning the game for the road team. Mangum was drafted first by the Yankees in 2017 and later by the Mets in 2018 and 2019. Explore More Left fielder Jake Mangum reacts after hitting a two-run single during the sixth inning of the Mets 7-5 lo s to the Rays on June 13, 2025. Imagn Images He elected to return to Mi si sippi State each of the first two times before signing in 2019 for $20,000. Mangum reached Triple-A Syracuse in the Mets system but ultimately was dealt to the Marlins in 2022 before being flipped to the Rays a year later. Even after the trade, Mangum didnt see his debut at Citi Field against the team that drafted him as any sort of revenge. I got way too many friends over there that I call close friends to say all that, said the rookie, who is hitting .302 with a .698 OPS. Im still soaking all this up. When I take the field at Fenway, when I take the field at Citi, Im looking around soaking it in because its an absolute privilege to be in a Major League clubhouse. Getting traded sometimes is good for the player. Easton Lucas Jersey