By The Tampa Bay Rays could not have asked for a better way to close out the month of June
After enduring a difficult stretch earlier in the month, the Rays have suddenly caught fire again, sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three-game series at Tropicana Field while surging into first place in the American League East.
The Rays outscored Arizona 15-4 over the weekend, received outstanding pitching from both their starters and their bullpen, and continued to get MVP-caliber production from one of baseball’s hottest hitters, Junior Caminero.
The series showcased exactly why the Rays remain one of baseball’s most dangerous clubs and could make a deep playoff run.
Timely home runs, shutdown pitching, airtight defense, and contributions throughout the lineup allowed Tampa Bay to complete its fifth consecutive victory while overtaking the slumping New York Yankees for first place in the division.
We cannot talk about the weekend sweep without talking about Junior Caminero. There is not a hotter hitter in Major League Baseball than Junior Caminero.
The 22-year-old third baseman homered in all three games of the series and has now gone deep in four consecutive games.
His power display began Friday with a towering three-run blast in the opening inning off Zac Gallen, immediately giving Tampa Bay control of the series opener.
He followed that with a solo homer Saturday before launching another mammoth shot Sunday that traveled an estimated 463 feet, one of the longest home runs hit by a Ray this season.
His recent surge includes seven home runs over a six-game span after his three-homer performance earlier in the week against Kansas City. Pitchers have not found an answer for his combination of bat speed and raw power.
While Caminero grabbed the headlines offensively, Tampa Bay’s pitching staff was equally impressive.
Friday night, Nick Martinez delivered another quality outing, allowing just one run over 5 2/3 innings while improving to 7-2 on the season.
He scattered six hits, struck out three, and consistently worked ahead in the count before turning the game over to the bullpen. Cam Booser and the Rays’ relievers handled the rest, holding Arizona scoreless over the final 3 1/3 innings.
Martinez is on pace to secure his first AL All-Star team berth with one more outing before the break.
On Saturday, it was a bullpen day for the Rays.
Opener Cole Sulser handled the early innings before turning things over to recently acquired Michael Grove.
Grove made his Rays debut and was outstanding, throwing three hitless innings, retiring nine of the ten batters he faced while striking out four.
His dominant performance stabilized the middle innings and earned him the victory. Bryan Baker then slammed the door in the ninth for his 21st save.
On Sunday, Drew Rasmussen delivered the best pitching performance of the weekend.
The right-hander threw six shutout innings, limiting Arizona’s dangerous lineup while continuing what has been an outstanding season.
Rasmussen attacked hitters with his fastball and cutter, generating weak contact throughout the afternoon.
Arizona didn’t score until Ketel Marte’s eighth-inning homer after Rasmussen had already exited. Craig Kimbrel, Garrett Cleavinger, and Chris Martin combined to finish off the victory.
Although Caminero stole the spotlight, he certainly wasn’t alone. Jonathan Aranda continued his outstanding season by hitting a two-run homer Saturday that broke open a close game.
Aranda is quietly becoming one of Tampa Bay’s most consistent run producers and continues to hit in the middle of the lineup with authority.
Cedric Mullins is starting to hit and remind everyone of the reason the Rays signed him during the off-season.
Mullins homered Friday and added a two-run blast Sunday, giving the Rays good production near the top of the order. His speed and defensive range continue to make him an ideal fit in center field.
Yandy Díaz continued to do what he has all season, reach base and hit the ball hard. He finished the series with multiple hits and entered Sunday leading the American League with a .336 batting average.
Although he exited Sunday’s game with a sore left shoulder, both Díaz and manager Kevin Cash expressed optimism that the injury is minor, especially with Monday’s off day providing extra recovery time.
Just a week ago, questions surrounded the Rays after an inconsistent June that briefly knocked them out of the division lead. Now, the conversation has completely changed.
The offense appears to be peaking behind Caminero’s power surge. The starting rotation continues to give quality innings, while the bullpen remains among the deepest in baseball.
Even more encouraging, the Rays continue to receive contributions from nearly every spot in their lineup, making the club far more dangerous than one dependent on a single star.
This weekend sweep over a quality Arizona club may be remembered as the series that reignited Tampa Bay’s season and reaffirmed its status as one of the American League’s contenders.
