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Stats

Rays roll with same lineup for Game 2 vs. Yankees

Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

Player Stats

Junior Caminero is at third base and hitting third for Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees on Monday.

Rays manager Kevin Cash isn’t making any changes following a series-opening victory where Jonathan Aranda’s solo homer was enough for a nearly-flawless Drew Rasmussen, who took a no-hit bid into the eighth inning. Caminero, who is likely to finish near the top of AL MVP Award balloting, finished a phenomenal regular season with 42 home runs, reaching the lofty 40-homer plateau for the second straight season. Here’s the full lineup: Yandy Díaz (DH), Jonathan Aranda (1B), Junior Caminero (3B), Liam Hicks (C), Chandler Simpson (LF), Victor Mesa Jr. (RF), Jonny DeLuca (CF), Richie Palacios (2B) and Taylor Walls (SS).

- George Bissell

Source: MLB Lineups

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Brewers 'proved' they were best team in MLB

Following their dominant 11-2 run through the postseason to their first World Series title, the Brewers did everything they needed to prove they were the best team in baseball this season.

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Ben Williamson

TB 2nd Baseman #15

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The Rays have Ben Williamson and Ryan Vilade in the lineup for Wednesday’s Game 5 against Jacob Misiorowski and the Brewers.

Jacob Misiorowski was considerably more lethal against lefties than righties this season, and the Rays don’t think it’s a fluke. As a result, Richie Palacios and Victor Mesa Jr. are sitting tonight, as is the long-forgotten Cedric Mullins. The lineup: DH Yandy Díaz, 1B Jonathan Aranda, 3B Junior Caminero, C Liam Hicks, CF Jonny DeLuca, LF Chandler Simpson, 2B Williamson, RF Vilade and SS Taylor Walls.
Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

Junior Caminero is starting at third base in Game 5 of the World Series.

Caminero seemed to be struggling with a foot issue before being lifted for a pinch-runner in the 12th inning Tuesday, but manager Kevin Cash said afterwards that it was nothing that would affect his availability. Caminero is batting third tonight.
Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

Rays manager Kevin Cash said after Tuesday’s game that Junior Caminero was fine after exiting for a pinch-runner in the 12th.

He didn’t seem fine, and Caminero himself indicated that there was a foot issue, though he was adamant that he’d play Wednesday. Caminero came up lame while trying to beat out a grounder on Joey Ortiz’s error in the 12th and stayed in to run to third on a single before being replaced by Cedric Mullins.
Jonny DeLuca

TB Right Fielder #21

Jonny DeLuca hit a game-tying single in the 12th inning to help the Rays to a win over the Brewers in Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday.

DeLuca took advantage of a drawn-in infield with runners on first-and-third and singled up the middle to tie the game at 3-3. It was his only hit of the game and he has scuffled mightily over this postseason, but he keeps the Rays alive with a chance to make the series a little tighter with a Game 5 win Wednesday.
Jonathan Aranda

TB 1st Baseman #8

The Rays have Jonathan Aranda back at first base but are starting Ryan Vilade over Victor Mesa Jr. in right field in Tuesday’s Game 4 against the Brewers.

Vilade started over Aranda at first base against a lefty on Monday. That Mesa committed a miscue in that one might factor into him taking a seat tonight, but on paper, going to Vilade against a righty seems like a bit of a downgrade both offensively and defensively. The Rays’ lineup as they try to extend the series: DH Yandy Díaz, 1B Aranda, 3B Junior Caminero, C Liam Hicks, CF Jonny DeLuca, LF Chandler Simpson, RF Vilade, 2B Richie Palacios and SS Taylor Walls.
Jonathan Aranda

TB 1st Baseman #8

The Rays are sitting Jonathan Aranda against Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser in Monday’s Game 3.

Aranda has been a platoon player in the past, but not so much recently. He had started all of the Rays’ previous postseason games, and he’s hit .310/.383/.405 in 48 plate appearances. Ryan Vilade is playing first base in his place tonight, and Nick Fortes is catching over Liam Hicks. The lineup: DH Yandy Díaz, 1B Vilade, LF Chandler Simpson, 3B Junior Caminero, 2B Ben Williamson, CF Jonny DeLuca, RF Victor Mesa Jr., C Fortes and SS Taylor Walls.
Liam Hicks

TB Catcher #34

Liam Hicks (forearm) told reporters that he was fine after being drilled in the forearm by a pitch during Game 2 of the World Series on Saturday night.

Hicks was clipped by DL Hall when leading off the sixth inning. He stayed in the game to run the bases for himself and caught another two innings but was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the eighth inning. The 27-year-old backstop ensures that he’ll be available for Game 3 on Monday in Tampa Bay.
Liam Hicks

TB Catcher #34

Liam Hicks hit a two-run homer in a loss to the Brewers on Saturday in Game 2 of the World Series.

Hicks extended the Rays’ lead to 4-0, and it came in the first inning on a two-run homer off Logan Henderson. The Rays wouldn’t score another run, and Hicks was thrown out at home plate on a send that was at best aggressive and at (accurately) worst insane. Hicks has been able to drive in eight runs thus far in the postseason, and he’ll try and add to that total in a must-win game for the Rays on Monday in Game 3.
Richie Palacios

TB 2nd Baseman #1

Richie Palacios is back at second base over Ben Williamson in Game 2 against the Brewers.

Palacios almost always plays against righties, but the Rays went for defense in using Williamson over him last night. That’s the only personnel change from last night. The lineup: DH Yandy Díaz, 1B Jonathan Aranda, LF Chandler Simpson, 3B Junior Caminero, C Liam Hicks, 2B Palacios, CF Jonny DeLuca, RF Victor Mesa Jr. and SS Taylor Walls.
Jonathan Aranda

TB 1st Baseman #8

Jonathan Aranda went 3-for-3 with a walk and scored a run in a losing effort against the Brewers in Game 1 of the World Series.

Aranda singled off of Jacob Misiorowski in the opening inning, but the Rays were unable to cash him in. He then worked a leadoff walk in the fourth inning and scored on an RBI ground out off the bat of Liam Hicks. He also singled in the sixth inning but was cut down attempting to steal second base. While he did his part on Friday night, the Rays are going to need to find a way to get much more offense in Game 2 on Saturday or they could be facing a 2-0 deficit in the Series.

Rotoworld

Nate Eaton

ATH Left Fielder #18
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Athletics acquired 3B/OF Nate Eaton from the Red Sox for RHP Jareth Rayo.

Eaton, who turns 30 in December, was just 8-for-50 with one homer for the Red Sox last season, dropping his career line to .221/.294/.307 in 328 plate appearances. He is, however, a very good defensive outfielder, and a nice asset on the basepaths. He can also fill in at third base when needed. He fits fine as a 26th man who gets occasional starts against lefties.
- Matthew Pouliot

Transaction
Boston Red Sox
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Jareth Rayo

BOS Starting Pitcher
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Red Sox acquired RHP Jareth Rayo from the Athletics for 3B/OF Nate Eaton.

Eaton was going to be bumped from Boston’s 40-man anyway, so it’s nice that the Red Sox got something for him. The 18-year-old Rayo had a 5.50 ERA and a 36/20 K/BB in 36 innings while mostly serving as a starter in the Dominican Summer League last season.
- Matthew Pouliot
Athletics
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Tatsuya Imai

HOU Relief Pitcher #45
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Tatsuya Imai will not opt out of the two years left on his deal with the Astros, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports.

Imai didn’t seem to enjoy his first year in MLB, but changing his situation by either returning to Japan or trying to find another MLB team would have cost him. He’s guaranteed $18 million each of the next two years, and he’ll again have the opportunity to opt out next winter. Imai ended up 6-4 with a 4.93 ERA and a 97/51 K/BB in 76 2/3 innings over 15 starts and eight relief appearances last season. His 2027 salary would have increased by $2 million if he topped 80 innings, which is part of why the Astros barely used him down the stretch.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Jon Heyman

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Sebastian Rivero

LAA Catcher #38
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Angels sent C Sebastián Rivero and
LHP Sammy Peralta outright to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Rivero had one of the most out-of-nowhere performances of the decade in June, going 5-for-5 with six RBI against the Dodgers. As it turned out, it was his next-to-last major league game of the year, as he suffered a broken hamate bone two days later, and the Angels didn’t have a spot for him once he was ready to return. He and Peralta both figure to become free agents in search of minor league deals.
- Matthew Pouliot

Transaction
Sammy Peralta
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Nolan Arenado

AZ 3rd Baseman #28
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The Diamondbacks are looking at having Nolan Arenado play some first base next season, GM Mike Hazen said.

That’s one option. Another would be to acquire a quality first baseman and simply give Arenado days off when he needs them. Arenado had a terrific rebound campaign in Arizona, but it came with the worst hard-hit rate and highest strikeout rate of his career. A similar followup at age 36 doesn’t seem very likely. Plus, the Diamondbacks need to seriously address first base this winter after Tim Tawa, Ildemaro Vargas and others combined to hit .233/.282/.354 in that spot last season. That .636 OPS was easily the worst in the majors, and the D-backs were just as bad at DH, getting a .630 OPS there.
- Matthew Pouliot

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Nate Eaton

BOS Left Fielder #18
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The A’s are acquiring Nate Eaton from the Red Sox, according to USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale.

Eaton was one of the guys expected to be squeezed from Boston’s 40-man this winter. The 29-year-old has hit .221/.294/.307 in 328 plate appearances since debuting in the majors in 2022.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Bob Nightengale
Athletics
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Luis Gil

NYY Starting Pitcher #81
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Luis Gil pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out four Wednesday in his second start for Licey of the Dominican Winter League.

Gil has thrown five scoreless innings between the two outings, though he has walked five. It seems like there’s a pretty good chance the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year will be traded this winter after finishing the season in the minors.
- Matthew Pouliot

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Ronny Simon

PIT Right Fielder #63
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Ronny Simon finished 3-for-5 with a homer, two steals and three runs scored for Este of the Dominican Winter League on Wednesday.

Simon, 26, played in 21 games for the Pirates last season and hit .254/.299/.349. He came in at .334/.426/.472 in Triple-A. It’s hard to say whether that will be enough to keep him on the 40-man roster this winter. Simon offers speed and versatility, but although he’s played a lot of second base and some short and third in the minors, the Pirates only really seem to trust him in the outfield. His bat just isn’t very interesting if he’s primarily going to be used in left or right.
- Matthew Pouliot

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Jose Leclerc

FA Relief Pitcher #37
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José Leclerc pitched a hitless inning in his debut for the Águilas Cibaeñas of the Dominican Winter League on Wednesday.

Leclerc struggled to make it back last season after shoulder surgery in 2025 and was released by the Padres in September after amassing a 7.77 ERA in 22 appearances in the minors. The former Rangers closer is still just 32, and he’ll try to get back on the radar of major league teams this winter.
- Matthew Pouliot

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Gabriel Gonzalez

MIN Right Fielder #72
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Gabriel Gonzalez went 2-for-5 with an RBI double for Anzoategui of the Venezuelan Winter League on Wednesday.

Gonzalez is thriving in Venezuela, having hit .379/.471/.690 with four homers and 16 RBI in 14 games. That Luke Keaschall couldn’t cut it at second base and had to be moved to the outfield is a problem for Gonzalez and fellow prospect Emmanuel Rodriguez as they try to force their way into Minnesota’s lineup. The team’s ideal outfield going forward most likely involves Byron Buxton, Walker Jenkins and Keaschall, though Buxton might be looking at more time at DH. Gonzalez has been playing some first base to open up another possible path to the majors.
- Matthew Pouliot

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