Junior Caminero finally gave the Tampa Bay Rays the kind of jolt they’ve been waiting for in Game 6 of the ALCS.
With the Rays one win from the World Series, Caminero launched a huge two-run homer in the seventh inning to stretch the lead to 5-1. It was his first home run of the postseason, and he made sure the moment looked every bit as big as it was. As he rounded first base, he turned toward the crowd and thumped his chest in a celebration that matched the stakes.
ESPN insider Jeff Passan captured the scene on X, formerly Twitter, writing, “This is how you celebrate a home run in a game that could send you to the World Series. Junior Caminero is ready.”
Caminero had been Tampa Bay’s best hitter in the regular season, finishing with 42 home runs and 101 RBIs. The postseason had been a different story. Before Game 6, he had not gone deep and was batting .233 with only two RBIs.
Even with the slow October start, Rays manager Kevin Cash kept his faith in the slugger. After Game 4, Cash said Caminero was still putting together good at-bats and nearly connected on a ball that was smoked but somehow tracked down by Petey Halpin.
Caminero’s blast also completed a much-needed turnaround for Tampa Bay’s Big 3. Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda had already broken out of their own slumps, and now Caminero has joined them. If the Rays can finish off the Guardians, they’ll head to the World Series with their core stars finally finding their rhythm again.
In Other News...
Guardians Turn To An Unexpected Arm In Must Win Game 6
The Guardians are reaching for a different look as their season hangs in the balance, turning to right-hander Shawn Armstrong as the opener for Game 6. It is the kind of October move that says plenty about where things stand, especially after Tampa Bay got a steady lift from Drew Rasmussen in Game 5, when he worked seven innings and allowed just one run.
Cleveland had hoped rookie Parker Messick could settle the matchup early, but he was gone after a brief outing and the margin for error only shrinks from here. Freddy Peralta is lined up to take the ball for Tampa Bay in Game 6 after a strong run of recent starts, leaving the Rays with a more familiar script and the Guardians searching for a way to keep the series alive. [Read more 🡒]
Rays One Win Away As Game 6 Bat Could Change Everything
The Rays head into Game 6 with a chance to punch their ticket to the World Series, and the questions around how this one plays out are as much about power as they are about pressure. Tampa Bay has leaned on timely offense all series, and as the matchup shifts again, the focus lands on whether this game turns into one of those nights when a single swing can tilt everything.
Jonathan Aranda has become one of the more intriguing names in the conversation after what he has done at the plate lately, while Cleveland still has Jos Ramrez as the kind of bat that can change the tone of a postseason game in one at-bat. On the mound, Freddy Peralta gives Tampa Bay a strong starting point, and Clevelands bullpen approach means the Rays may not get many clean looks before the late innings decide whether the series ends here or heads back for one more round. [Read more 🡒]
Yandy Diaz Just Added More Pressure To A Massive Rays Game 6
Yandy Diaz added a little more edge to an already pivotal night for the Rays by sounding convinced Tampa Bay will handle Game 6 of the ALDS against Cleveland. It comes with the series hanging in the balance and with Freddy Peralta set to take the mound for Tampa Bay, a welcome development for a club that has leaned on his strong work since he arrived and into October.
The matchup also has a different feel on the other side, where Cleveland is set to go with a bullpen day and Shawn Armstrong as the opener. With the Guardians having to patch together the outing, the Rays have a chance to put pressure on early and make Diaz's confidence feel more like a forecast than a wish. [Read more 🡒]