Caminero ties Rays record at 22, Rays roll to seventh straight win
Junior Caminero’s sixth straight homer ties Tampa Bay’s franchise mark while the Rays blank Kansas City to keep their streak alive.
Junior Caminero’s sixth straight homer ties Tampa Bay’s franchise mark while the Rays blank Kansas City to keep their streak alive.
Junior Caminero just turned the dial to eleven. The 22-year-old Rays third baseman crushed a two-run homer in the first inning against Kansas City, his sixth consecutive game with a dinger. That ties the Tampa Bay franchise record and makes Caminero the youngest player in the modern era to string together six straight games with a home run.
The pitching staff then locked in, holding the Royals scoreless while Tampa Bay rolled to a 4-0 victory. The win stretched the Rays’ streak to seven straight, their longest of the season. Kansas City managed just four hits and no runs against Tampa Bay’s rotation, which allowed only two earned runs over the last 42 innings.
Caminero now has 18 homers in his last 30 games, a stretch that has vaulted him into the AL Rookie of the Year conversation. His bat has been the centerpiece of a lineup that ranks third in the majors in runs scored over the same span. The power surge aligns with a broader shift in Tampa Bay’s offensive identity, where contact rates have climbed while strikeout rates have dipped—a rare combination in today’s game.
The Rays’ front office has leaned into this approach, trading for high-contact bats in the offseason and promoting prospects like Caminero ahead of schedule. The result is a lineup that’s not just scoring runs but doing so with efficiency, ranking among the league’s best in on-base percentage over the last month. 71 ERA over the last seven games.
The bullpen, meanwhile, has stranded 22 of 24 inherited runners, a testament to the staff’s ability to limit damage in high-leverage spots. The rotation’s ability to limit walks—just 14 over the streak—has been particularly notable, as it mirrors the franchise’s long-standing emphasis on control despite limited payroll flexibility. Caminero’s streak also underscores the Rays’ aggressive player development philosophy.
600 slash line since. The Rays’ willingness to trust their scouting and development systems has paid dividends, with Caminero joining a core that includes Yandy Díaz and Randy Arozarena—players who have thrived in Tampa Bay’s low-key, high-efficiency model. The Royals’ struggles against Tampa Bay’s pitching are part of a larger trend.
Kansas City entered the series with the AL’s third-worst road OPS, and their 0-for-12 performance with runners in scoring position against the Rays was the continuation of a season-long issue. The Royals’ inability to manufacture runs against quality arms has exposed a chink in their offensive armor, one that’s been exploited repeatedly by teams with stronger rotations. Defensively, Caminero has been a revelation at third base, where his arm strength and quick reactions have prevented multiple extra-base hits.
8), and his defensive metrics suggest he’s already one of the game’s best at the hot corner. The Rays’ infield defense has been a key component of their pitching staff’s success, as errors and miscues have been nearly nonexistent during the streak. “This guy’s barrel stays on the ball like it’s glued,” said Royals starter Cole Ragans.
“You can’t miss up there. ” The Rays head to Detroit for a three-game set starting Friday, where Caminero will try to keep the streak alive against a Tigers staff that has allowed the most home runs in the AL this month. What’s next: The Rays face Detroit in a three-game series starting Friday, where Caminero will attempt to extend his streak against a staff that’s been historically vulnerable to the long ball.
A sweep would push Tampa Bay’s season-high winning streak to nine games, further cementing their place atop the AL East. The next test comes Sunday against Tarik Skubal, one of the AL’s top left-handed starters, who has allowed just three home runs in his last six starts. Read at ESPN
Caminero’s record-tying streak isn’t just a hot streak—it’s a generational moment for a 22-year-old. The Rays’ rebuild isn’t just on schedule; it’s accelerating. A lineup built around a 22-year-old third baseman with this kind of power changes the calculus for the entire franchise and signals Tampa Bay’s window might be wider open than anyone expected. The pitching’s efficiency and the front office’s trust in its development pipeline suggest this isn’t a fluke—it’s a blueprint.
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