The 463-Foot Moonshot That Proves Junior Caminero Is The AL's Scariest Hitter
Holy smokes, did you guys see what Junior Caminero just pulled off? Seriously, this kid is on another planet right now, and the American League is officially on notice. The Tampa Bay slugger blasted his longest home run ever, a mind-bending 463-foot bomb, to cap off a ridiculous week. He's now hit a jaw-dropping seven homers in his last six games, and four straight dingers, as the Rays swept the D-backs with a 5-1 win!
Nobody Can Touch This Kid Right Now
When Caminero stepped up to the plate against D-backs starter Merrill Kelly, nobody expected him to hit it a country mile. But that's exactly what he did. He absolutely demolished an 0-1 cutter, sending it onto the concourse above the Daiquiri Deck. Statcast pegged that solo shot at 463 feet, tied for the fourth-longest homer in the Majors this season. Can you even imagine? When asked how far it went, Caminero just smiled and said, "Far." Even veteran Cedric Mullins was speechless, saying, "That was the type of ball that made everyone go quiet. Instead of cheering, we're all just looking at each other like, 'Jesus Christ.' Special kind of power out of him." That 113.5 mph laser was also the seventh-longest homer ever at Tropicana Field in the Statcast era. This blast was the exclamation point on a huge homestand for the Rays, who went 7-3 and won five straight to vault back into first place in the AL East. Seriously, what a week!
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He's Rewriting the Record Books at 22 Years Old
This isn't just a hot streak, folks, this is historic. Caminero became the youngest Ray ever to homer in at least four straight games, a feat only 10 players in team history have accomplished. But wait, there's more. He's also mashed six homers during this four-game stretch, which no other Ray has ever done. And those seven homers in his last six games? Only Carlos Peña has matched that for Tampa Bay. For a 22-year-old, his numbers are unreal. Only three players his age or younger, like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Brian McCann, have had longer home run streaks since 1900. Plus, his seven homers in six games tie him with legends like Bryce Harper and Willie Horton for most by a hitter age 22 or younger since 1900. Rays manager Kevin Cash summed it up perfectly, saying, "Special player doing special things." Caminero recently opened his stance at the plate, a small adjustment that's clearly paid off, letting him hit inside pitches and get the ball in the air. Pitcher Drew Rasmussen couldn't believe it either, adding, "I couldn't imagine being that good at 22. That's unbelievable."
What's Next for the Emerald City?
Caminero already has 22 home runs on the season, just three behind AL leaders Yordan Alvarez and Byron Buxton. And get this, the guy told his agent and manager last Monday that he would be this week's AL Player of the Week. Then he went out and hit .500 with seven homers and 15 RBIs over the next six days. Talk about calling your shot! We're talking about a player who hit 45 dingers last year, and he's feeling "very, very good and comfortable" right now. The talent is off the charts, as Rasmussen said, and the execution is incredible.
Meanwhile, back in the Pacific Northwest, our Mariners just dropped a tough one to the Cleveland Guardians, losing 6-5. It stings, but it's early in the season. We gotta regroup and keep fighting. What will our guys do to bounce back and show some of that Caminero-level fire in the next game? You know we'll be watching every pitch.
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.