There’s one player the Tampa Bay Rays can’t afford to lose in any circumstance: Junior Caminero.
And in the top of the ninth inning of Game 1 of the ALCS, Caminero ran into his teammate Jonny DeLuca chasing a foul ball. He was injured, and the whole complexion of the series may have changed.
Caminero stayed down in foul territory for a while. His manager Kevin Cash, as well as a trainer, came and checked on him.
Junior Caminero Injury Update
Caminero appeared to hurt his left shoulder or arm, and he sat down the line while his manager and trainer checked on him.
DeLuca had run directly into Caminero’s shoulder with his own, and it appeared Caminero got the worst of it.
After some discussion, Caminero remained in the game. The Rays trailed by just a run in the ninth, and they couldn’t afford to take their best hitter out of the lineup in case they needed him in the bottom half.
Still, it’ll be something worth watching as the series proceeds. Caminero certainly looked like he was in some pain.
How Junior Caminero Injury Could Impact Him
The left shoulder won’t be crucial in the field for Caminero, who throws right-handed.
At the plate, though, things could get a little trickier. That’s a key piece of his hitting mechanics, with the left shoulder leading into the swing.
If Caminero is hurting, it could make swinging the bat more painful.
Junior Caminero Stats
Caminero is one of the best hitters in baseball and still just 23 years old.
He hit 42 home runs during the regular season and drove in 101 runs.
He already has 94 career homers in just 366 games.
Caminero went 3-for-10 in the ALDS against the Yankees, including a double.
An Added Irony
Caminero used to be a member of the Cleveland organization.
They originally signed him out of the Dominican Republic, but after his first professional season, they traded him to the Rays for right-handed pitcher Tobias Myers.
The Guardians moved on from Myers less than a year later, and Caminero soon blossomed into a phenom for the Rays.
He’ll still have a big impact on this series, but he may not be 100% anymore.
Junior Caminero Injury Update Isn’t Good News for Rays