Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero Joins Historic Company With Explosive Performance
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The Tampa Bay Rays were tied with the Houston Astros through three innings on Saturday, but Junior Caminero did all he could to turn the showdown into a blowout.
Caminero, 21, led off the top of the fourth with a solo home run to left, putting Tampa Bay on top 4-3. He added a ground-rule double in the top of the sixth, coming around to score the very next at-bat.
When Caminero stepped up to the plate in the seventh, he added an RBI double. The Rays were up 11-3 entering the eighth, only for Caminero to add even more insurance with a three-run homer.
Caminero finished the contest 4-for-5 with four runs and five RBIs as the Rays demolished the Astros 16-3.
According to Underdog Fantasy's Justin Havens, Caminero became just the fourth player in MLB history to record two home runs and two doubles in a single game before turning 22 years old.
Mel Ott was the first player to achieve the feat, doing so in 1929. He was joined by Joe DiMaggio in 1936, then Miguel Cabrera in 2003.
Players age-21 or younger with 2+ HR & 2+ 2B in a single game, MLB history:
— nugget chef (@jayhaykid) June 1, 2025
1929 Mel Ott
1936 Joe DiMaggio
2003 Miguel Cabrera
2025 Junior Caminero
In joining that Hall of Fame company, Caminero bumped his batting average this season to .265, all while his OPS climbed to .803. The third baseman is up to 13 home runs, 13 doubles, 37 RBIs and a 0.8 WAR through 54 games in 2025.
The former top prospect, who has seven extra-base hits in his last four games, will look to stay hot for Sunday's series finale against the Astros. First pitch from Houston is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET.
Related Rays stories
- RAYS CRUSH ASTROS: Zack Littell pitched Tampa Bay's first complete game since 2021 and the Rays had season highs in home runs (5), hits (18) and runs (16) in a 16-3 blowout of the Houston Astros on Saturday. CLICK HERE
- HEARTFELT MANGUM FAMILY AFFAIR: Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Jake Mangum waited a long time to make the big leagues, and the 29-year-old had a great first month before suffering a groin injury. He came back this weekend, and hit his first-ever MLB home run with his parents in the stands. It was a great family moment. CLICK HERE
- WANDER FRANCO TRIAL DATE SET: The trial against former Rays shortstop Wander Franco will begin on Monday in the Dominican Republic, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Here's the story. CLICK HERE
You can follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.
Sam Connon covers baseball for "On SI'' on the Sports Illustrated platform and is also a senior writer on "Fastball on SI'' and ''Minor League Baseball on SI.'' He previously covered UCLA Athletics for "On SI's'' All Bruins site, among others.
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