Caminero’s next-level hot streak continued in the Rays’ 5-1, sweep-sealing win over the D-backs on Sunday afternoon at Tropicana Field, when Tampa Bay’s superstar slugger went deep for the fourth straight game by launching the longest home run of his young career.
The 22-year-old unloaded on an 0-1 cutter from D-backs starter Merrill Kelly, blasting it onto the concourse above the Daiquiri Deck beyond the center-field fence. Statcast projected the solo shot at 463 feet, an absolute moonshot tied for the fourth-longest homer in the Majors this season.
How far did he think it went?
“Far,” Caminero said, smiling.
The 113.5 mph laser was the seventh-longest homer at Tropicana Field since Statcast began tracking batted-ball data in 2015, and the Rays’ second-longest homer since 2021, behind only a 467-foot shot hit by Jonathan Aranda in Baltimore exactly a year ago.
“That was the type of ball that made everyone go quiet,” veteran center fielder Cedric Mullins said. “Instead of cheering, we’re all just looking at each other like, ‘Jesus Christ.’ Special kind of power out of him.”
Caminero’s titanic blast was the exclamation point on an incredible week for the 22-year-old third baseman and a terrific homestand for the Rays, who vaulted back into first place in the American League East with a 7-3 stretch at the Trop capped by five straight wins.
Caminero became the 10th player in team history to homer in at least four straight games, the first since Brandon Lowe in April 2023, and the youngest Ray to ever do so. Only three players his age or younger have had a longer home run streak since at least 1900, as Ronald Acuña Jr. (2018), Brian McCann (2006) and Jack Clark (1978) each went deep in five straight games.
“Special player doing special things,” manager Kevin Cash said. “I mean, he came into his own here on this homestand where he’s really seeing the ball well, getting pitches he can handle and not missing them and hitting them a long way.”
Caminero has gone deep six times during that four-game stretch, which no Ray has ever done. He’s also hit seven homers in his last six games, something only Carlos Peña (June 6-12, 2010) has accomplished for Tampa Bay. His seven homers during this six-game span are tied for the most by a hitter age 22 or younger since at least 1900, matching Bryce Harper in 2015, Willie Horton in 1965 and Boog Powell in 1964.
“I couldn’t imagine being that good at 22. That’s unbelievable,” said starter Drew Rasmussen, who lowered his ERA to 2.45 by pitching six scoreless innings in the series finale. “And he’s out here doing it like nobody’s business. It’s really cool.”
Caminero now has 22 home runs on the season, behind only Yordan Alvarez and Byron Buxton (25) among AL hitters, so it’s not out of the question that he could match or exceed the career-high 45 he hit last year after this otherworldly power surge at the plate.
“I feel very, very good and comfortable,” Caminero said. “That’s the point, very comfortable.”
Caminero recently opened his stance at the plate, giving him more of a chance to hit inside pitches and get the ball in the air. He went through a 29-game stretch from May 19-June 22 where he had only two homers and more ground balls than he’d like, so he made the necessary adjustment and got back to blasting the ball out of the park.
“The talent is off the charts, but to see the execution and just his ability to go out there and find success, it’s a huge spark for us,” Rasmussen said.
Caminero homered in the first inning in each of his previous three games, including Thursday’s three-homer performance against the Royals. Kelly kept him in the yard in the first inning of Sunday’s series finale, but Caminero — who, by the way, went 3-for-3 with a walk — still got the Rays on the board with an RBI single to left-center field.
He saved his best for later this time, not going deep until the fifth inning. Caminero’s longest homer in the Majors had been a 450-foot shot, and the longest recorded homer of his professional career was the 454-foot, championship-winning missile he smashed before his lengthy trot around the bases in LIDOM Serie Final Game 7.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ball hit that far,” Rasmussen said. “Not here, up on the concourse over there. That’s different.”
Caminero said he told his agent, Rafa Nieves, and Cash last Monday that he would be this week’s AL Player of the Week. All he did over the following six days was bat .500 (11-for-22) with seven homers and 15 RBIs.
Seems safe to say he’s got a pretty good chance of fulfilling that promise.
“We’ll see tomorrow,” Caminero said, laughing.
