Tristan Gray had been in this situation before. Spring training was wrapping up in just a matter of days and he didn’t know if he was going to break camp with the big-league team or head back to the minor leagues. He was firmly on the roster bubble.

But this time, it was a little different. This time, as he spoke with his wife, Madelyn, thoughts of retirement crept into his mind.

Gray had played parts of three seasons in the majors but had just 122 at-bats to his name and hadn’t stuck around in the big leagues for a sustained period of time. The next morning, with spring training coming to an end in just a couple days, he said goodbye to his wife and his one-year-old daughter as they left Florida to head back home.

“I was super sad going to the field that day,” he said.

But later that morning, the day after he turned 30, Gray got the news he had been hoping to hear: He had made the team, beating out Ryan Kreidler and Orlando Arcia for the Twins’ backup infielder role. On Friday, Gray had the type of day that makes all of it worthwhile.

In the Twins’ home opener Friday, against his former team, Gray hit a grand slam to break open the Twins’ 10-4 victory over Tampa Bay at cold, rainy Target Field.

“You try to fight off the tough thoughts, the doubt — all of that. It just grows and grows,” Gray said. “Especially when you don’t get the opportunity, or when you get a little opportunity and it doesn’t work. You just, honestly, have to just compartmentalize and throw that to the side and think about the opportunity that’s in front of you.”

Gray made his first start of the season last Sunday and had a big swing, doubling with the bases loaded, and — with Brooks Lee under the weather — was back in the lineup again Thursday against Kansas City and Friday against Tampa Bay.

He certainly took advantage of the opportunity Friday, also driving in a run earlier in the game. It was his third time to the plate with the bases loaded and coming through like that, he said, “was really just a relief.” Through the first seven games of the season, Gray had driven in a team-leading eight runs.

“Sick. That was sick. His first Opening Day was this year. To have that moment, there is nothing like it,” center fielder Byron Buxton said. “To be able to work that hard and finally get an opportunity and make the most of that, it’s incredible, for sure. This game is hard.”

Drafted in the 13th round in 2017, Gray finally cracked the majors in 2023. He’s bounced around between organizations, finally landing with the Twins this January in swap for minor league catcher Nate Baez. Gray spent most of his time in the Rays organization, though, debuting in Tampa Bay in 2023 and returning there last season.

Friday, he made his former team pay.

“This is an organization he played (for). It had to be a little sweeter. But when you’re a guy that’s 30 and you’ve been in six organizations, you take every opportunity you can. And when you have that opportunity, you need to make sure you do positive things,” manager Derek Shelton said. “It’s one of those things where sometimes for people it clicks a little bit later, or it just clicks with certain opportunity.”

Briefly

The Twins will send Simeon Woods Richardson to the mound on Sunday for the series finale against the Rays. He’ll be opposed by Nick Martinez. … Reliever Garrett Acton, acquired by the Twins in a trade with the Miami Marlins, has been assigned to St. Paul. Left-handed pitcher Christian MacLeod was released from the organization.