Junior Caminero signed his first professional contract with Cleveland in 2019 as an amateur free agent. Two years later, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Tobias Myers.
Myers never pitched in a game for Cleveland, while Caminero continues to make the franchise now known as the Guardians pay for its ill-advised swap.
The teams continue their three-game series in Cleveland on Tuesday night, when Rays right-hander Shane Baz (8-10, 5.22 ERA) takes on Guardians left-hander Parker Messick (0-0, 1.35).
On Monday, Caminero belted his 38th and 39th home runs of the season, had four hits, stole a base, scored four runs and drove in three as Tampa Bay rolled to a 9-0 win.
“I’m running out of words to say about him, but it’s fun to watch and we get the best seat in the house with the quality at-bats he has,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s a strong man that can really carry a baseball.”
Caminero’s two homers pulled him into a tie with current teammate Brandon Lowe and Carlos Pena for the second most in a season in Tampa Bay history. Pena also tops the list with 46 in 2007 for the then-Devil Rays.
The All-Star third baseman told FanDuel Sports Network Florida that he harbors no ill-will toward the Guardians.
“That’s not in my mind or in my heart,” Caminero said. “They know what I have.”
Baz extended his losing streak to seven decisions in his latest start on Aug. 19, giving up a career-high five homers and six runs in three innings against the New York Yankees. He has a 6.85 ERA in nine starts since his latest win.
Messick was promoted from Triple-A Columbus on Wednesday to make his debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix. He worked 6 2/3 innings, giving up one run on seven hits while walking one and striking out six while failing to get a decision.
A second-round pick in the 2022 draft by Cleveland, Messick went 5-6 with a 3.47 ERA in 20 starts for Columbus this season. His overall record in the minors is 19-18 with a 3.33 ERA in 73 games (70 starts), making stops at all four levels.
Baz and Messick will be facing their opponents for the first time.
Things couldn’t be going much worse for the Guardians, who have been shut out in three straight games and are on a 28-inning scoreless streak — their longest such droughts since 1991.
Cleveland has dropped six in a row and is 1-9 since Aug. 15, putting its postseason hopes in grave jeopardy and fraying nerves among the players and manager Stephen Vogt. Starting pitcher Tanner Bibee and Vogt exchanged words in the dugout on Monday.
“Because of the way things are going, emotions are high right now with everybody,” said Vogt, whose team has been outscored 24-0 in the past three games and has just 18 runs in its past 10 contests. “Tanner is one of the biggest competitors on the team and he was trying to fire up the team. I told him, ‘Not now, take it downstairs,’ because it wasn’t the time.
“We chatted postgame and settled it out.”
–Field Level Media
