Junior Caminero Takes Foul Ball to the Face and Somehow Stays in the Game

Tampa Bay's third baseman got absolutely drilled by a foul tip in the first inning Tuesday night against Cleveland, and the scary moment had everyone in the Rays clubhouse holding their breath. But here's the thing: Caminero shook it off, got checked out by the trainer, and stepped right back into the box to keep playing.

The ball came off the plate hard enough to bruise his right jaw. After trainer Joe Benge examined his teeth and neck while manager Kevin Cash watched nervously from the dugout, Caminero grounded out to Guardians starter Tanner Bibee on the very next pitch. That's toughness, plain and simple.

He's Day-to-Day, But Cash Expects Him Back Tomorrow

Post-game, a visibly relieved Cash told reporters Caminero was going to be fine. "He's OK," Cash said. "He's in really good spirits and I would expect him to be in the lineup tomorrow. That ball really came off the plate hard and I'm just glad that he's in a pretty good spot right now."

Caminero, who's got braces on his teeth, didn't talk to the media after the game, but his teammates made it clear how scary that moment was. "It was a scary moment at first," said first baseman Jonathan Aranda, who knocked in the game's only run with a single in the fifth. "We're wishing him the best and hopefully he comes back and joins us soon."

The 22-year-old was replaced at third base by Richie Palacios for the rest of the night, with Ben Williamson sliding over to second. The Rays officially listed Caminero as day to day.

One Tough Night in a Hot Stretch

This was a brutal way to end what's been a solid month for Caminero. He came in batting .259 with eight home runs and 15 RBIs on the season, but he'd been raking lately, hitting safely in 12 of his last 14 games with a .293 average, six homers, and 12 RBIs in that span. All eight of his homers have come since April 5.

The Rays won that game 1-0 over Cleveland, posting their first shutout while extending their win streak to six straight and improving to 13-0 against AL opponents. Hopefully Caminero can get back in there and keep riding the wave.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.