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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 Cleveland 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 during the third inning of a baseball game 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 in the eighth inning against the Cleveland 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.