Rays slugger Junior Caminero feels fortunate left hand not broken after he was hit in All-Star Game

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Junior Caminero feared the worst when a 98 mph sinker that didn’t sink struck him in the left hand in the All-Star Game.

For the Tampa Bay Rays slugging third baseman, Caminero considered himself fortunate the hit-by-pitch was more a scare than a season-ender.

“You are thinking the worst and honestly thought something may have been broken,” Caminero said through a translator. “But thank you to God, it’s fine and just a little bit sore. But we’re all good.”

Caminero was struck on the outside of his left hand by St. Louis Cardinals closer Riley O'Brien with the high hard one in the top of the third inning with the American League up 3-0 on Tuesday night.

The 23-year-old Caminero, fourth in the major leagues with 28 home runs, stayed down for a few moments before he popped up and ran straight into the clubhouse.

X-rays were negative.

“Sinker on hands that didn’t hit my bat at all,” Caminero said. “So look, it was a scary moment. But you know right now, we feel really good.”

The Rays resume their season Friday with a doubleheader in Boston.

O'Brien, who has 24 saves this season for the Cardinals, checked in with Caminero in the AL clubhouse.

“I told Ryan I really appreciate the gesture,” Caminero said. “He came into the clubhouse, and he took a few seconds to apologize, but I told him it was part of the game. He was really worried, but I told him look, these things happen. We are here to have fun, and we are here to enjoy the night.”

Caminero was replaced by Miguel Vargas of the Chicago White Sox. Vargas hit a solo homer for the American League in the eighth inning for game's first extra-base hit.

Caminero hit 17 total home runs a night earlier at Citizens Bank Park in the Home Run Derby. He hit 45 home runs with 110 RBIs last season, and this season has led the Rays to the top of the AL East.

He batted fourth on Tuesday and became the first Ray to start an All-Star game in two straight seasons. Caminero grounded out in his first at bat against Phillies' ace and NL starter Cristopher Sánchez.

Caminero — who advanced to the final round of last season's Home Run Derby before losing a close contest to Seattle slugger Cal Raleigh — this season become the youngest player since at least 1900 to homer in six straight games.

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Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero reacts after being hit by a pitch by St. Louis Cardinals' Riley O'Brien in the third inning of the MLB baseball All-Star Game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero reacts after being hit by a pitch by St. Louis Cardinals' Riley O'Brien in the third inning of the MLB baseball All-Star Game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero, left, greets St. Louis Cardinals' Jordan Walker during the MLB baseball All-Star Home Run Derby, Monday, July 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero catches a fly ball by Los Angeles Dodgers' Max Muncy in the second inning during the MLB baseball All-Star Game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero competes during the MLB baseball All-Star Home Run Derby, Monday, July 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero competes during the MLB baseball All-Star Home Run Derby, Monday, July 13, 2026, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Jo Adell had a career night and showed the power that made the Cleveland Guardians acquire him at the trade deadline.

However, in a season in which every good thing that happens to the Guardians ends up being followed by a setback, Adell’s night ended on a down note Tuesday.

Adell left before the eighth inning of the Guardians’ 8-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants due to a bruised left knee. He fouled a pitch off his left kneecap during the first inning before hitting a 455-foot, three-run homer three pitches later.

Adell was receiving treatment after the game and wasn’t available for comment after setting a career high with six RBIs and the longest homer of his seven-year career. He will continue to be evaluated.

“It seems like every time we go out and check on somebody, they do something pretty special,” manager Stephen Vogt said after the Guardians' win. “But Jo obviously fouled that ball off his knee pretty hard. That’s why we took him out of the game. He was feeling some pretty good pain as the game went on.”

Adell had his eighth three-hit game, but his first for the Guardians. He came into the game batting .167 (7 for 42) since being acquired by the Guardians at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.

“Adell was the issue, for sure, tonight. Adell was the problem -- and other guys hit us too,” Giants manager Tony Vitello said.

After Steven Kwan and José Ramírez got on base, Adell connected on an elevated changeup from Giants starter Carson Whisenhunt on a 2-2 count and the seventh pitch of the at-bat, depositing it five rows from the top of the bleachers in left field to give the Guardians a 3-0 lead.

Adell’s blast surpassed the 454-foot homer he hit in Kansas City last year while with the Los Angeles Angels for the longest of his career.

It also was the longest homer at Progressive Field since Kansas City’s Salvador Perez had a 457-foot shot in 2024. The last Cleveland player to go at least 455 feet was Bradley Zimmer (465 feet) in 2021 against Texas.

Adell also had a two-run single in the second and an RBI base hit in the fourth. He was the sixth player in the majors this season with at least six RBIs in the first four innings of a game, but the first Cleveland player since Ramírez in 2019.

“We haven’t seen very many balls fly that far to left field since I’ve been here, and his power’s real. But my favorite at-bat was the second one, two outs, second and third, right back up the middle for a two-run single,” Vogt said.

Adell’s injury is the latest in what has been a rough couple of days for the Guardians. Outfielder Chase DeLauter missed Tuesday’s game due to mild left hamstring tightness after playing only two innings during Sunday’s 5-0 loss to San Diego.

Cleveland (61-65) has gone 10-19 since the All-Star break and is one game behind Texas for the last wild-card spot in the American League.

“We’re pretty banged up on the position player side. So we got a lot of guys we’re monitoring,” Vogt said.

On June 13, the Guardians lost three players during the span of five innings against Detroit. Ramírez fractured the left hamate bone during an at-bat and missed more than five weeks; DeLauter bruised his right rib cage after colliding with the outfield wall and was sidelined for two weeks. Angel Martinez was out for six weeks after fouling a pitch off his left foot.

See AP’s full MLB coverage here

Cleveland Guardians' Jo Adell hits a three-run home run off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Carson Whisenhunt during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)

Cleveland Guardians' Jo Adell is congratulated by Jose Ramirez (11) and Steven Kwan (38) after hitting a three-run home run off San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Carson Whisenhunt during the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Dermer)