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The Midsummer Classic is supposed to be a celebration of baseball, but things took a scary turn for the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night when their star left the field in pain.
Tampa Bay third baseman Junior Caminero was drilled in the left hand by a 98 mph fastball from St. Louis Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien.
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Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays is hit by a pitch during the third inning of the MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 14, 2026. (Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Caminero ran straight to the American League dugout and was ejected from the game. The 23-year-old fell to the ground, clutching his left hand before walking away in his trainers. He was replaced on the way to the bases by pinch-runner Miguel Vargas.
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Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a ground ball to the pitcher during the first inning of the MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 14, 2026. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
Fortunately for Tampa Bay, X-rays of Caminero’s left hand came back negative.
Fox announcer Joe Davis summed it up: “Everyone’s worst nightmare at an exhibition is for something like this to happen.”
Caminero entered the All-Star break with 28 home runs, tied for fourth in the majors, while helping propel the Rays to the top of the American League East.
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Caminero avoided the worst, but the Summer Classic was much closer to disaster than anyone would have wanted.
Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays is hit by a pitch during the third inning of the MLB All-Star Game at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 14, 2026. (Al Bello/Getty Images)
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