Junior Caminero grabbed a broom and walked across the Yankee Stadium grass. That image — a 23-year-old from Santo Domingo celebrating a sweep in the Bronx — says everything about what the Tampa Bay Rays are doing in 2026.
On Wednesday, October 7, the Rays closed out the ALDS with a 4-3 win in Game 3, sweeping New York and punching their ticket to the ALCS for the first time since 2020. They did it with the third-lowest payroll in the majors.
How the Sixth Inning Broke It Open
The game was tied 2-2 heading into the sixth when Caminero singled off left-hander Max Fried to start a rally. Victor Mesa Jr. did the rest, launching a two-run home run 401 feet to right-center that gave Tampa the lead for good. Ryan Vilade had already put the Rays on the board with a solo shot in the fourth.
The Yankees had a potential answer when Anthony Volpe hit what looked like a home run in the same inning — but umpires ruled fan interference and reduced it to a double. The score stayed 4-3, and Tampa Bay closed it out from there.
It’s worth noting this wasn’t the first time the Rays celebrated at Yankee Stadium this fall. On September 22, they clinched the AL East title with a 6-1 win in the Bronx. The rival’s ballpark became their house twice in two weeks.
Why Caminero Is the Face of This Sweep
Caminero bats third for Tampa Bay and is a two-time All-Star (2025 and 2026). He’s the kind of player who, as one outlet put it, would be a household name if he played in New York. In Tampa, a lot of fans outside Florida are still discovering him — right now, in October.
His Statcast numbers from the 2026 regular season explain the hype:
- 702 plate appearances
- 42 home runs, 101 RBI
- AVG: .276 | OPS: .884
- xwOBA: .364 — 91st percentile in MLB
- Exit velocity: 92.7 mph — 95th percentile
- Barrel rate: 13.1% — 89th percentile
- Hard-hit rate: 49.7% — 91st percentile
- Bat speed: 79.4 mph — 100th percentile. Fastest in all of MLB.
Those aren’t development numbers. Those are franchise numbers.
The Bigger Picture
The Rays finished the regular season 98-64. They just swept a Yankees franchise that hasn’t won a World Series since 2009 — a 17-year drought — and spends at the top of the league to try to end it. Tampa did it from the other end of the payroll.
The broom wasn’t just a celebration. It was a statement.
