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Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero was forced to exit Tuesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians after a foul tip struck him in the face.
Caminero was making his first at-bat in the game when he fouled a pitch from Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee off the plate. The ball bounced off the plate and hit him in the right jaw. He immediately fell to the ground.
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Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero is checked out after being hit by a foul tip in the first inning against the Guardians in Cleveland on April 28, 2026. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
Tampa Bay’s trainer came out of the dugout to tend to Caminero, who was down for a couple of minutes. He was examined for a few moments before he finished the at-bat. He eventually grounded out to Bibee and was replaced by Ben Williamson.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Caminero was doing “OK” after the game.
“He’s in really good spirits and I would expect him to be in the lineup tomorrow,” Cash said, via MLB.com. “That ball really came off the plate hard and I’m just glad that he’s in a pretty good spot right now.”
Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero celebrates his solo home run off Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brandon Williamson in St. Petersburg, Fla., on April 22, 2026. (Chris O’Meara/AP)
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Tampa Bay won the game, 1-0.
Caminero has been among the bright spots in the Rays’ lineup so far this season. The one-time All-Star is hitting .257 with eight home runs in 29 games.
Tampa Bay Rays’ Jonathan Aranda is congratulated by Junior Caminero after hitting a home run against the Guardians in Cleveland on April 27, 2026. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)
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He is coming off a season in which he hit 45 home runs, drove in 110 runs and hit .264.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
