Tampa Bay Rays fans can breathe a sigh of relief following the latest update on Junior Caminero.
The Rays’ standout third baseman’s hand got hit by a pitch during his second at-bat of the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. The 1-0 pitch was a 98-mph sinker that St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Riley O’Brien threw well inside, instantly hushing the crowd at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa.
Caminero was writhing in pain for several seconds before eventually jogging toward the dugout and taking himself out of the game.
Junior Caminero left the game after being hit by a pitch in the hand pic.twitter.com/gVuzV9XCbH
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 15, 2026
The Rays got positive news an inning later as Caminero’s X-rays came back negative.
“It looked bad. But the results, at least from the X-rays, are good,” said Tom Verducci on the broadcast.
Caminero himself eased Rays fans’ worries with a message via USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.
“I’m fine. Thank God nothing is broken. Will play Friday,” Caminero said.
That’s welcome news for the Rays, who have leaned heavily on Caminero’s production this season.
The 23-year-old Dominican has batted .279 with 28 home runs, 59 RBIs, and an OPS of .927 across 94 games this season. He’s arguably been the biggest reason why the 56-38 Rays have the best record in the American League through the All-Star break.
