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Caminero Exits All-Star Game After 97.6 MPH Sinker

7/15/2026

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Summary

Caminero Exits All-Star

Junior Caminero was hit on the left hand by a 97.6 mph sinker from Riley O’Brien and left the All-Star Game.
The Rays listed him day-to-day after X-rays came back negative.
Miguel Vargas replaced him at third base.
Caminero’s 28 homers, .927 OPS and sixth-place WAR in 94 games made him the first Ray to start back-to-back All-Stars and helped Tampa Bay post a 56-38 record leading the AL East.

Summary

MLB Urges Rest

MLB urged pitchers who work the Sunday before the All-Star Game to sit out the exhibition to lower injury risk.
Shohei Ohtani skipped the All-Star festivities to focus on recovery after earlier injuries.
The Rays listed backup third baseman Ben Williamson, who has a .659 OPS and 23 RBIs in under 200 at-bats, as a possible replacement for Caminero.

Summary

Caminero Extends Streak

Junior Caminero, 23, has played in all 94 Tampa Bay games this season, extending his career streak to 154 games.
He has hit 13 homers with a 1.184 OPS in his last 20 games, raising his slash line to .279/.372/.555.
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported negative X-rays, day-to-day status, and a 2026 All-Star selection that marks his second straight appearance.

History

Historical Context

After MLB’s March 10, 2022 collective-bargaining agreement introduced a universal designated hitter and delayed the 13-pitcher roster limit until June 20, the league added a temporary rule barring any pitcher who appeared on the Sunday before the All-Star Game. The policy forced Seattle’s Logan Gilbert and New York’s Gerrit Cole—each with over 30 innings that week—to sit, reflecting MLB’s broader push to protect star arms.

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Caminero Exits All-Star

Junior Caminero was hit on the left hand by a 97.6 mph sinker from Riley O’Brien and left the All-Star Game.
The Rays listed him day-to-day after X-rays came back negative.
Miguel Vargas replaced him at third base.
Caminero’s 28 homers, .927 OPS and sixth-place WAR in 94 games made him the first Ray to start back-to-back All-Stars and helped Tampa Bay post a 56-38 record leading the AL East.

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