Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero Removed From Spring Training Game With Back Tightness

Junior Caminero left Thursday's spring training game against the Philadelphia Phillies, bringing the Tampa Bay Rays third baseman's injury status into question.

Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) throws the ball to first base during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero left Thursday afternoon's spring training game with low back tightness, per the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin.

Caminero logged two at-bats against the Philadelphia Phillies before he got pulled. He struck out swinging both times, seeing just eight pitches on the afternoon, on top of notching three assists in the hot corner.

Cooper Kinney subbed in for Caminero in the bottom of the fourth.

#Rays Caminero left today’s game due to what team said was low back tightness.

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) March 6, 2025

The 21-year-old has appeared in eight Grapefruit League games so far this spring. He is batting .211 with three home runs, one triple, eight RBIs and a 1.075 OPS.

Prior to the 2024 season, Caminero was viewed as a consensus top-five prospect in baseball. He proceeded to hit .249 with six home runs, nine doubles, 18 RBIs, a .724 OPS and a 0.7 WAR in 43 games, exhausting his rookie eligibility in the process.

Caminero hit .424 with a 1.003 OPS in the Dominican Winter League this past offseason, going viral for his clutch home run and ensuing bat flip in Game 7 of the championship series.

It remains to be seen how his back holds up in the coming days, but Caminero was expected to break out as an everyday big leaguer in 2025.

The Rays' next game is scheduled for Friday against the Minnesota Twins. They have additional Grapefruit League contests on the books for Saturday, Sunday and Monday before getting a day off Tuesday.

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