Junior Caminero put the Rays back in the postseason with one swing.
His walk-off homer in the ninth inning sent Tampa Bay past the Houston Astros 3-1 on Friday, and with it came the club’s first playoff berth since 2023. It was Caminero’s 40th blast of the season, and it landed as his first career walk-off hit.
The finish capped a strong night from Drew Rasmussen, who worked seven innings and gave up just one earned run. Caminero’s homer also added another line to a season that keeps growing louder: he became the first Rays player to post multiple 40-homer seasons, and according to the Rays, he’s now the second player in the modern era to do it in back-to-back seasons while still age 22 or younger.
After the game, Caminero made sure the moment matched the result.
"We're going to enjoy this, we're going to have a lot of fun, we're going to enjoy the moment, but the job is not finished. We're going to win the division," Caminero said before yelling, "Tampa, this is for you."
The Rays have put together a strong all-around season under manager Kevin Cash, and Friday’s clincher was just the latest example of how complete this team has looked. The offense has been productive, with Tampa Bay ranking fifth in the American League in runs. Caminero has been a central force there, while Chandler Simpson and Yandy Diaz have been right behind him in the race for the AL batting crown, sitting second and third, respectively.
The work has shown up on the other side of the ball too. Tampa Bay ranks second in the majors in defensive runs saved and third in steals, giving this club plenty of ways to control games even when the bats aren’t carrying the load.
The pitching has held up its end as well. Rasmussen and Nick Martinez have led a rotation that sits third in the AL in ERA, and Bryan Baker has powered the bullpen as the league’s saves leader.
Now the Rays have 15 games left to try to finish off their first division title since 2021. Four of those come against the New York Yankees from Sept. 22-24.
In Other News...
Rays Enter October With One Huge Question Beyond The AL East Race
The Rays have already punched their ticket to October, but the rest of the regular season still matters plenty as they keep trading blows with the Yankees for the AL East lead. Tampa Bay has played itself into a strong position with better offense of late, and that surge has helped balance out a roster that has had to absorb some injuries along the way, including to Taylor Walls and Shane McClanahan.
The division race is only part of the story now, because the bigger test for Tampa Bay may be whether this current form can hold once the calendar flips. Analysts point to the same formula the Rays have leaned on during this push: keep the bats producing, navigate the injury picture, and carry enough momentum into October to make the playoff berth mean something. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Get Encouraging Injury Progress At Just The Right Time
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There is still some distance between progress and returns, though the trend line is better than it was a few days ago. Williamson could begin a rehab assignment soon, and Taylor Walls, Shane McClanahan and Garrett Cleavinger have also shown signs of improvement, even if the club is not putting timelines on any of them yet. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Give Brody Hopkins A Shot In A Bullpen Battle
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To make the move, the Rays optioned Alex Cook to Triple-A and designated Michael Grove for assignment, clearing a path for Hopkins to get a shot. It is another sign that Tampa Bay is willing to keep turning over the back end of the staff while it looks for the next arm that can stick. [Read more 🡒]