Junior Caminero Voices Excitement Ahead of Rays Postseason

Caminero backed up that confidence with one of the best seasons of his young career. He started all 162 games at third base and finished with a .276 batting average, 42 home runs, 101 RBIs and a .885 OPS. His 5.7 Baseball-Reference WAR ranked first among Tampa Bay position players. 

The Rays also enter the postseason after finishing 98-64, the best record in the American League. Tampa Bay won the AL East by 4.5 games over the New York Yankees and secured home-field advantage through the AL Championship Series.  

Caminero’s production gives Tampa Bay a proven middle-of-the-order threat for a postseason matchup against New York. He also finished the regular season with 100 runs and 170 hits, while his 42 home runs and 101 RBIs marked his second straight season with at least 40 homers and 100 RBIs. 

The Rays will now face the Yankees in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay has already announced Drew Rasmussen as its Game 1 starter, with the right-hander entering the series at 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA and 174 strikeouts.  

As for Caminero, the opportunity is much bigger than his brief postseason experience from 2023. He enters this series as a centerpiece of the Rays’ lineup, and Tampa Bay will need that production as it begins its push toward the World Series.