Rays' Junior Caminero delivers epic homer -- and trot -- in winter finale

Marc Topkin, Tampa Bay Times on Jan 28, 2025

Published in Baseball

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TAMPA, Fla. — Playing this winter for the hometown Escogido team he grew up rooting for was important to Rays third baseman Junior Caminero.

He certainly made the most of it.

Caminero capped the experience Monday with a monstrous go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the Dominican league championship series, leading the Leones to the title and earning series MVP honors.

“It’s something unforgettable," Caminero told reporters afterward, tears streaming down his face. “God has blessed me too much. The support of the fans. We are all a family. It has been tremendous.”

The home run was sensational, carrying an estimated 454 feet to center field, with an exit velocity of 114.3 mph and enough force to briefly knock out the scoreboard at Estadio Quisqueya.

On the game broadcast, the play-by-play announcer said, “No ... no ... no,” his voice rising in pitch, then switched to English: “I can’t believe it.”

Caminero’s home run trot was even more epic.

He took a few steps toward first, pointed as the ball went over the fence, then with two hands threw his bat high in the air. He stopped a few more feet down the line, pumped his fists, raised his arms and slapped hands with teammates who raced out of the dugout.

Caminero continued to celebrate as he circled the bases, stopping briefly at first and third, then was mobbed at home plate.

The whole trip took nearly a minute, which, per mlb.com, was almost twice the length of the longest trot in the majors last season — a 37.7-second stroll by Juan Soto (who was in the opposing dugout Monday cheering for Licey) against the Rays.

On SportsCenter, ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt called Caminero’s jaunt “the most extravagant home run trot in the history of baseball.”

Caminero, 21, hit .346 (9 for 26) with a 1.086 OPS in the seven-game final. That, after batting .448 (26 for 58) with a 1.285 OPS in the 15-game round-robin semifinals.

He joined Escogido with nine games left in the regular season, hitting .424 (14 for 33) with a 1.003 OPS.

Escogido, managed by Albert Pujols, won its 17th league title but first since 2016. The Leones advance to the Caribbean Series in Mexico that starts this weekend. Caminero however, is not expected to accompany them so he can prepare to join the Rays in spring training.

The Rays are counting heavily on Caminero — who hit .248 with a .724 OPS in 43 games last season — to bolster an offense that was one of the majors' worst last season and made only one significant addition, signing free-agent catcher Danny Jansen.