Why Junior Caminero believes Tampa Bay Rays can finish MLB playoff skid

Published On: October 3, 2026

Why Junior Caminero believes Tampa Bay Rays can end MLB playoff skid

Junior Caminero had been an enormous leaguer for 10 days the final time the Tampa Bay Rays performed a postseason sport. He was 20. He batted twice in opposition to the Texas Rangers within the 2023 AL wild card sequence, went 0-for-2 and watched his group get swept.The Rays scored one run in that sequence.They scored one the October earlier than, too, when Cleveland swept them.Now Caminero is 23 and simply hit 42 house runs, making him the primary participant in franchise historical past with two 40-homer seasons. When the AL East champion Rays host the New York Yankees in Sport 1 of the AL Division Sequence on Saturday at Tropicana Area (6:30 p.m. ET, TBS), the child who went hitless in 2023 will possible bat third.He is heard concerning the drought.”It is baseball. It is baseball,” Caminero advised USA TODAY Sports activities on Wednesday in an interview organized by Mountain Dew Baja Blast. The model named him its 2026 MLB Baja Blast Champion for hitting 21 house runs of 420-plus ft, probably the most within the majors this season, in line with the corporate.The Rays have not gained a playoff sport since Oct. 7, 2021, a 5-0 win over Boston in Sport 1 of the ALDS. They’ve misplaced seven straight since.

The offense is not the one motive, however it’s a fairly large a part of the Rays postseason struggles.

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Of their final 4 playoff video games, in opposition to Cleveland in 2022 and Texas in 2023, the Rays went 23-for-143. That is hitting .161 in a very powerful video games of the yr. They scored two runs, hit one house run and struck out 37 instances within the two 2023 video games and the 15-inning loss to Cleveland alone. At one level they went 33 straight innings with out scoring, the second-longest drought in postseason historical past.

Only one homer in 4 video games.

Caminero hit 42 by himself this season he’s an enormous motive there may be confidence in St. Petersburg this October.

Caminero’s repair is not difficult. Play good baseball. Management what they’ll management. In the event that they win, excellent. In the event that they lose, he mentioned, “one other day is coming, so we gotta all the time lock in.”Requested how the offense will get prepared for the opposite group’s greatest arms, he did not deliver up a scouting report.”We do not have time without work,” he mentioned. “We go to the stadium each single day.”

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2026 MLB playoffs open with thrilling wild-card sequence matchups

The San Diego Padres’ Xander Bogaerts celebrates after hitting a solo house run in opposition to the Chicago Cubs throughout the fourth inning of Sport 1 at Petco Park on Sept. 29, 2026.

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The Chicago Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong steals second base in entrance of the tag by Jake Cronenworth throughout the third inning of Sport 1 at Petco Park on Sept. 29, 2026.
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The San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. celebrates after hitting a house run in opposition to the Chicago Cubs throughout the first inning of Sport 1 at Petco Park on Sept. 29, 2026.
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Chicago Cubs middle fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong reacts after Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a solo house run throughout the first inning of Sport 1 at Petco Park on Sept. 29, 2026.
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The New York Yankees and the Boston Purple Sox stand throughout the nationwide anthem previous to sport one of many American League Wild Card Sequence at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 29, 2026 within the Bronx borough of New York Metropolis.
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Nick Sogard #20 of the Boston Purple Sox tags out George Lombard Jr. #96 of the New York Yankees for a double play throughout the fourth inning in sport one of many American League Wild Card Sequence at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 29, 2026 within the Bronx borough of New York Metropolis.
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New York Yankees third baseman Amed Rosario throws to first for an out throughout the second inning in opposition to the Boston Purple Sox throughout sport one of many Wildcard spherical for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium.
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Ben Rice of the New York Yankees celebrates on second base after hitting double to middle subject in opposition to Payton Tolle #70 of the Boston Purple Sox throughout the first inning in sport one of many American League Wild Card Sequence at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 29, 2026 within the Bronx borough of New York Metropolis.
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Chicago White Sox pitcher Grant Taylor (31) reacts with Chicago catcher Kyle Teel (8) after sport one of many Wildcard spherical for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park.
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Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) stretches to first base to hit a RBI single within the eighth inning in opposition to Chicago White Sox first baseman Munetaka Murakami (5) throughout sport one of many Wildcard spherical for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park.
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The Houston Astros line up for the start of the sport in opposition to the Chicago White Sox throughout sport one of many Wildcard spherical for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park on Sept. 29, 2026.
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Colson Montgomery #12 of the Chicago White Sox hits a house run within the fourth inning in opposition to the Houston Astros in sport one of many American League Wild Card Sequence at Daikin Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Houston.
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Lucas Spence of the Houston Astros watches as a house run hit by Colson Montgomery of the Chicago White Sox clears the fence within the fourth inning in sport one of many American League Wild Card Sequence at Daikin Park.
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Supervisor Joe Espada of the Houston Astros relieves Bryan King #74 within the second inning in opposition to the Chicago White Sox in sport one of many American League Wild Card Sequence at Daikin Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Houston.
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Chicago White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery will get hit by a pitch within the seocnd inning in opposition to the Houston Astros throughout sport one of many Wildcard spherical for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Daikin Park.
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Sam Antonacci of the Chicago White Sox slides into house plate to attain a run previous Yainer Diaz of the Houston Astros within the first inning in sport one of many American League Wild Card Sequence at Daikin Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
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Sam Antonacci of the Chicago White Sox slides into second base in entrance of Jeremy Pe–a of the Houston Astros within the first inning in sport one of many American League Wild Card Sequence at Daikin Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Houston.
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The Philadelphia Phillies line up earlier than the sport in opposition to the Atlanta Braves in sport one of many Nationwide League Wild Card Sequence at Truist Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Atlanta. The MLB postseason has arrived because the thrills of playoff baseball within the fall has followers ecstatic to observe each second unfold.
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Austin Riley of the Atlanta Braves reacts after a three-run house run in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies throughout the eighth inning in sport one of many Nationwide League Wild Card Sequence at Truist Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Atlanta.
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An in depth view of Philadelphia Phillies tools within the dugout earlier than the sport in opposition to the Atlanta Braves in sport one of many American League Wild Card Sequence at Truist Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Atlanta, Ga.
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Ha-Seong Kim of the Atlanta Braves is launched earlier than the sport in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies in sport one of many Nationwide League Wild Card Sequence at Truist Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Atlanta.
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A common view earlier than the sport between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies in sport one of many Nationwide League Wild Card Sequence at Truist Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Atlanta.
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Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner is tagged out by Atlanta Braves shortstop Ha-Seong Kim within the third inning throughout sport one of many Wildcard spherical for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park.
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Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale (51) throws out Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Derek Hill (49) within the third inning throughout sport one of many Wildcard spherical for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park.
(Dale Zanine, Imagn Pictures)

Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber breaks his bat within the third inning throughout sport one of many Wildcard spherical for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Truist Park.
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An in depth view of the footwear of Mauricio Dubon of the Atlanta Braves as he sits on the dugout in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies throughout the third inning in sport one of many Nationwide League Wild Card Sequence at Truist Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Atlanta.
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Bryan de la Cruz of the Philadelphia Phillies runs the bases in opposition to the Atlanta Braves throughout the seventh inning in sport one of many Nationwide League Wild Card Sequence at Truist Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Atlanta.
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Michael Harris II of the Atlanta Braves reacts as he scores off an RBI triple by Ozzie Albies throughout the sixth inning in opposition to the Philadelphia Phillies in sport one of many Nationwide League Wild Card Sequence at Truist Park on Sept. 29, 2026 in Atlanta.
(Kevin C. Cox, Getty Pictures)

That day by day work is how he rebuilt his personal at-bats. Caminero walked 41 instances in 2025. This yr, 79. His on-base proportion jumped from .311 to .360, and his common went from .264 to .276. The facility stayed. He slugged .524 and hit the longest house run of July’s House Run Derby in Philadelphia, a 491-foot shot, earlier than Jordan Walker beat him within the semifinals. A yr earlier, he completed second to Cal Raleigh. He mentioned he spent final offseason studying when to be aggressive. Swing at strikes. If they will not throw him one, take the bottom.Caminero labored on his throws to first, too. He nonetheless made 20 errors at third, two greater than final season. He additionally performed all 162 video games there.His favourite swing of the yr got here Sept. 11 in opposition to Houston. Tied 1-1 within the ninth. Jonathan Aranda on second. Bryan Abreu on the mound. Caminero despatched a 97 mph fastball into the left-field seats for a two-run walk-off that clinched a playoff spot. It was house run No. 40.Then he advised the group, “Tampa! That is for you!”Tampa Bay hasn’t all the time proven up in October for the Rays

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The 2023 wild-card opener on the Trop drew 19,704, the smallest non-pandemic postseason crowd since 1919. The Rays spent 2025 at Steinbrenner Area in Tampa after hurricanes shredded the Trop’s roof. This yr they got here house.Caminero remembers the empty seats. He mentioned he is “100%” positive this time will look totally different, as a result of the Rays gave folks a motive to come back.”Belief me,” he mentioned.He calls this clubhouse a household and credit veterans like Yandy Díaz for preserving it that manner.He plans to get to the ballpark early Saturday.”I am too excited for that,” he mentioned.His daughter, Valentina, was born final November. This will likely be her first October. Will she be on the Trop?”Oh yeah.”

This text initially appeared on USA TODAY: Why Junior Caminero believes Tampa Bay Rays can finish MLB playoff skid

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