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Stats

Junior Caminero homers as Rays win AL Pennant

Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

Player Stats

Junior Caminero hit a two-run homer as the Rays beat the Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the ALCS on Monday.

The Rays advance to their second-ever trip to the World Series with the win. Caminero took Cade Smith deep off the pole with a runner on, and it gave the 23-year-old slugger his first homer of the postseason after he walloped 42 of them in the regular campaign. He seemed to enjoy it, as it took him nearly 40 seconds to round the bases. Let the kids play. The 23-year-old also singled and walked to improve his playoff OPS to .814 over his nine postseason games. Caminero and the Rays will begin the Fall Classic against the Brewers on Friday, and both organizations will have a chance to win their first ever championship.

- Christopher Crawford

Recap

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Passan: Lockout and 2027 season both 'inevitable'

Jeff Passan joins John Fanta and Jay Croucher on Fanta in 60 to talk why he believes there will be an MLB season in 2027, who he's taking in Game 6 of the ALCS, the Yankees and more.

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Ryan Vilade

TB Right Fielder #26

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Ryan Vilade and Ben Williamson have joined the Rays’ starting lineup for Game 5 of the ALCS against the Guardians.

With left-hander Parker Messick on the mound for the Guardians in Game 5, the Rays will change things up with Vilade starting in right field and batting third while Williamson takes over at second base and will bat eighth. Here’s the full lineup that Rays’ skipper Kevin Cash will deploy as the Rays look to take control of the ALCS on Sunday: Yandy Díaz (DH), Jonathan Aranda (1B), Ryan Vilade (RF), Junior Caminero (3B), Chandler Simpson (LF), Jonny DeLuca (CF), Liam Hicks (C), Ben Williamson (2B) and Taylor Walls (SS).
Chandler Simpson

TB Left Fielder #14

Chandler Simpson will bat third for the Rays in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Guardians on Friday evening.

The Rays will utilize the same starting nine that they used in Thursday’s loss in Game 3, but the batting order has changed. Simpson moves up from fifth to third while Junior Caminero slides into the cleanup spot. Here’s the full lineup that the Rays will deploy against Shawn Armstrong and a host of Guardians’ relievers: Yandy Diaz (DH), Jonathan Aranda (1B), Simpson (LF), Junior Caminero (3B), Liam Hicks (C), Victor Mesa Jr. (RF), Jonny DeLuca (CF), Richie Palacios (2B) and Taylor Walls (SS).
Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

Junior Caminero went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in a loss to the Guardians in Game 3 of the ALCS.

It was a tough day for Caminero, who was struck out by Gavin Williams, Daniel Espino, and Cade Smith. The Rays’ third baseman has enjoyed a solid postseason but is just 2-for-11 in the first three games of this series with a 7/1 K/BB ratio. He’ll need to adjust to how the Guardians are pitching him if the Rays have any hope of advancing to the World Series.
Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

Junior Caminero delivered an RBI single in a loss to the Guardians in Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday.

Caminero slapped an RBI single into left field to give Tampa Bay an early advantage, but they were unable to hang on in the opener of a best-of-seven series. The big concern for the Rays moving forward is Caminero’s health after he somehow managed to remain in the contest following a massive collision with teammate Jonny DeLuca down the left-field line in the ninth inning. It looked like DeLuca got the worst of it, but the primary point of contact was Caminero’s left shoulder and ribcage. Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters afterwards that he got the wind knocked out of him and seems to be completely fine. All signs point to Caminero being ready for Tuesday’s Game 2 showdown at Tropicana Field.
Ryan Vilade

TB Right Fielder #26

Ryan Vilade is in left field and hitting cleanup for Game 1 of the ALCS against the Guardians on Monday.

Vilade posted an .818 OPS against southpaws during the regular season and will get a chance to face Guardians starter Foster Griffin at Tropicana Field to kick off the best-of-seven showdown. The 27-year-old lefty-masher blasted a solo homer off Yankees ace Max Fried during Tampa Bay’s series-clinching victory last week. Here’s the full lineup: Yandy Díaz (DH), Jonathan Aranda (1B), Junior Caminero (3B), Vilade (LF), Victor Mesa Jr. (RF), Jonny DeLuca (CF), Ben Williamson (2B), Taylor Walls (SS) and Nick Fortes (C).
Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

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).
Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

Junior Caminero hit a two-run homer to help the Rays to a 12-1 rout of the Phillies on Saturday.

Caminero is now up to 42 homers on the season, with this one coming in the first off Aaron Nola in the first inning. The 23-year-old also scored three runs and added a single and walk. He’s now driven in 101 runs, giving him back-to-back triple-digit seasons. SImply put, Caminero has established himself as one of the truly elite power hitters in the game in a very short time.
Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

Junior Caminero went 1-for-4 with a solo home run against the Athletics on Tuesday.

Caminero’s home run was his 41st of the season. He hit a walk-off solo shot off Athletics reliever Elvis Alvarado, complete with Caminero taking no less than 10 seconds to round first base. Caminero has hit two home runs in his last four games. He’s hitting .279 with an .898 OPS and 96 RBI this year.
Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

Junior Caminero went 1-for-4 with a homer and two RBI in Friday’s win over the Astros.

We wouldn’t have expected anything less from Caminero, whose late-inning heroics gave the Rays a win and clinched them a postseason berth in the process. Stepping up to the plate with a runner on second and one out in the ninth inning, Caminero got a hold of a first-pitch fastball from Bryan Abreu and deposited it 434 feet into deep left-center to give the Rays the walk-off win. It was the 40th homer of the season for Caminero, which now gives him back-to-back seasons with 40-plus homers. Caminero now has three homers this month and is slashing .296/.394/.667 in his last seven games.
Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13

Junior Caminero went 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and a solo home run against the Braves on Tuesday.

Caminero’s home run was his 39th of the season. He hit a solo shot off AJ Smith-Shawver in the first inning. Caminero has hit two home runs in his last three games. He’s hitting .282 with a .904 OPS and 93 RBI this year.

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Junior Caminero

TB 3rd Baseman #13
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Junior Caminero hit a two-run homer as the Rays beat the Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the ALCS on Monday.

The Rays advance to their second-ever trip to the World Series with the win. Caminero took Cade Smith deep off the pole with a runner on, and it gave the 23-year-old slugger his first homer of the postseason after he walloped 42 of them in the regular campaign. He seemed to enjoy it, as it took him nearly 40 seconds to round the bases. Let the kids play. The 23-year-old also singled and walked to improve his playoff OPS to .814 over his nine postseason games. Caminero and the Rays will begin the Fall Classic against the Brewers on Friday, and both organizations will have a chance to win their first ever championship.
- Christopher Crawford

Recap

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Yandy Díaz

TB Designated Hitter #2
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Yandy Díaz hit a two-run homer to help the Rays to a Game 6 win over the Guardians on Monday in the ALCS.

For the second time in three games, Díaz hit a late two-run shot to extend the Rays’ lead to four runs. The 35-year-old has been outstanding in the postseason with a .308 average and .903 OPS, and he’ll hit at the top of the lineup for the World Series against the Brewers beginning Friday.
- Christopher Crawford

Recap

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Cade Smith

CLE Relief Pitcher #36
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Cade Smith allowed two runs in the eighth inning in Game 6 of the ALCS against the Rays on Monday.

Smith walked the first hitter he faced and then gave up a line-drive homer to Junior Caminero that extended the Rays’ lead to 5-1. It’s a disappointing end to what was a spectacular season for Smith who was dominant in the playoffs prior to his scuffle Monday, and he saved 41 games with a 1.95 ERA and 107 strikeouts in 74 innings. He’ll open 2027 as one of the best fantasy closers in baseball.
- Christopher Crawford

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Bryan Baker

TB Relief Pitcher #47
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Bryan Baker didn’t allow a run in the ninth inning against the Guardians on Monday in the ALCS.

It’s a non-save situation because Yandy Díaz hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to give Tampa Bay a four-run lead. The 31-year-old initiated a pair of groundouts to the top of the Cleveland lineup before getting Chase DeLauter to pop out to end the game. Baker will assuredly get the save chances — and plenty of other high-leverage looks, if not — in the World Series beginning Friday.
- Christopher Crawford

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Freddy Peralta

TB Starting Pitcher #51
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Freddy Peralta allowed just one run over 5 1/3 innings to pick up a win over the Guardians in Game 6 of the ALCS on Monday.

Peralta will be facing his former team in that Fall Classic, and is a big reason why Tampa Bay was able to advance. He didn’t allow a run until the sixth, and he scattered five hits allowed while striking out three in the series-clinching victory. In his two starts against the Guardians in the ALCS, Peralta allowed just one run over 11 1/3 innings. Game 1 of the World Series is Friday, and it seems likely the 30-year-old will start one of those first two games for the Rays in Milwaukee.
- Christopher Crawford

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Andy Green

NYM Manager
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The Mets will interview Kevin Long for coaching job Tuesday.

Long was the Mets’ hitting coach from 2015-17 and also worked with Juan Soto in D.C. before spending the last five years as the Phillies’ hitting coach. The Mets already have a hitting coach in Troy Snitker and an assistant in Rafael Fernandez, but they’d figure something out if Long is interested.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Mike Puma

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Aaron Boone

NYY Manager
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Aaron Boone will be back as Yankees manager next season, a source told the Bergen Record’s Pete Caldera.

Boone will be finishing out the two-year extension for 2026 and ’27 that he signed prior to the 2025 season. Next year will be his 10th at the helm of the Yankees. Through nine years, his teams have gone 790-565 and made the postseason eight times, advancing to the World Series once.
- Matthew Pouliot

Source: Pete Caldera

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Liam Hicks

TB Catcher #34
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The Rays have moved Liam Hicks back up to third in their Game 6 lineup against the Guardians.

It’s the first time in the series that Hicks has hit higher than fifth, though he mostly hit in the top four during the regular season. The lineup: Yandy Díaz (DH), Jonathan Aranda (1B), Liam Hicks (C), Junior Caminero (3B), Chandler Simpson (LF), Victor Mesa Jr. (RF), Jonny DeLuca (CF), Richie Palacios (2B) and Taylor Walls (SS).
- Matthew Pouliot

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Petey Halpin

CLE Center Fielder #0
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The Guardians are sticking with the same lineup for a fourth straight game Monday in Game 6 against the Rays.

Even though the Guardians have been limited to eight runs in the last four games, nothing is changing tonight. The lineup: Steven Kwan (LF), José Ramírez (3B), Chase DeLauter (RF), Jo Adell (DH), Nathaniel Lowe (1B), Travis Bazzana (2B), Patrick Bailey (C), Petey Halpin (CF) and Brayan Rocchio (SS). The only other player to get a start in the series was Austin Hedges catching in Game 2.
- Matthew Pouliot

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Jed Hoyer

CHC General Manager
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Cubs named Steve Miller their new vice president in charge of overseeing the International Scouting department.

Miller comes over after serving as the Rays’ Director of International Scouting since 2019. It’s impossible to know how big a role one executive played in a team’s success on the international market; the Rays, under Miller’s stewardship, had several notable international signings. Perhaps the biggest difference is that the Rays have 19 international free agent signings who are listed in FanGraphs’ recent prospect rankings, while the Cubs only have six. Miller will be looking to improve upon that production.
- Eric Samulski

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Source: Francys Romero

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