Caminero puts injury scare aside, starts at third base again for Rays at Fenway

Junior Caminero is back at the center of the Tampa Bay Rays’ infield plans, starting at third base again as the club prepared for a Friday doubleheader at Fenway Park. The move follows an All-Star Game injury scare in which he took a hit-by-pitch and came out of the event with a sore pinkie finger, but the Rays treated the day as a routine continuation of the work he had already been doing on a day-to-day basis.

According to the Rays’ official game preview tied to the lineup, Caminero was expected to continue the role he has maintained throughout the season: he has started at third base in every Rays game played so far this season, and he remained Tampa Bay’s choice to bat third in the order for the Fenway matchup. The decision was framed as “everything’s good,” indicating that the finger issue was monitored closely but did not change his availability or responsibilities on the field.

The Rays’ choice also reflected the timing and the rhythm of the schedule. Doubleheaders add an extra layer of preparation because they compress recovery and tighten the margin for lineup tweaks. In that context, the Rays kept their key everyday posture intact by installing Caminero as the regular third baseman again, rather than looking for a different defensive configuration or order adjustment.

Caminero’s routine workload has been a stabilizing feature for Tampa Bay’s daily setup. Starting at third base in every game to date means he has been the constant in a role that often requires both quick reactions and clean footwork on hard-hit ground balls and sharply angled throws. With him in the lineup, the Rays can keep defensive patterns and timing consistent even as opponents, pitching styles, and day-game versus night-game rhythms vary.

The All-Star Game context matters, too, because a finger-related issue can become more than a comfort problem once batting and fielding reps stack up. The Rays’ official release indicates the pinkie soreness was the primary factor that had to be evaluated after the hit-by-pitch, but it also made clear that the monitoring ended with Caminero cleared to proceed as normal for the Fenway doubleheader.

For Rays fans, the immediate watch points are straightforward. Whether the pinkie affects his grip and bat control later in the day, and whether the Rays make any late-inning or late-game adjustments if he shows discomfort. The bigger baseball picture, though, is that Tampa Bay is maintaining continuity around a player who has already been their daily starter at the hot corner.

If the finger remains stable, the Rays will likely continue leaning on Caminero’s established role, including his spot in the batting order. If any issue reappears, the team will have to balance the near-term need to keep him comfortable with the long season reality of protecting important middle-infield and infield innings as the schedule moves through Boston and beyond.