ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A phrase that should be used to describe this year’s Tampa Bay Rays, the 2026 American League Champions, is sting and conquer. 

The Rays stung the Guardians where it hurt Monday night in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series on a 7-3 loss, ending Cleveland’s season and sending Tampa Bay to the World Series—the franchise’s third ever Fall Classic appearance—where they will meet the Milwaukee Brewers. 

The moment the Rays won the AL Pennant! pic.twitter.com/vwxyzFhial

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2026

Dominican superstar Junior Caminero was looking lost at the plate through the first three games of this ALCS, down 2-1 to the Guardians, but ultimately trusted his process the whole way through.

And as a result, the 23-year-old out of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic delivered his best moment for when his team needed him most, hitting a massive two-run home run against Cade Smith in the seventh to stretch the Rays lead to 5-1, which seemingly put ALCS Game 6 out of reach. 

“I was really excited. I know Cami had been feeling it for the last couple of days, wanting to come through for his team,” manager Kevin Cash said. 

“Cami’s played in a lot of big games, maybe none bigger than these last couple. And he certainly got a pitch off of just a very elite reliever to carry it and hit off the foul pole. I was pumped. Dugout erupted.”

JUNIOR CAMINERO
OFF THE FOUL POLE

THE TROP IS ELECTRIC! pic.twitter.com/E0hC0eAmBK

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2026

It was Caminero’s first career postseason home run after going his first 39 at-bats without one.

The biggest moment of his MLB career so far, probably the coolest too, and right before he crossed home plate, Caminero replicated a former teammate’s signature home run celebration. 

Not just any former teammate, but one beloved by all of the Rays faithful—Cuban-Mexican Randy Arozarena—who was in attendance for Monday’s ALCS Game 6 at The Trop and stationed behind home plate. 

“My guy,” Caminero said, completing a 39 second celebratory home run trot around the bases. “We played together in ‘23. Randy’s a good guy. I know him. I stopped at home plate, I went like this (arms crossed), and I said, ‘This is for you my guy. Enjoy.’”

Junior Caminero looked toward Randy Arozarena and did Randy's celebration before crossing home! pic.twitter.com/ehAH0ZrpYx

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2026

Arozarena was one of 40,230 at The Trop jumping when Caminero had connected on his key home run, just a small number compared to millions those watching from his native Dominican Republic. 

“I want to cry right now because I’ve put in a lot of work for this team, to support this city,” Caminero said. “My family out there, my wife, my mom, my father, my little brother, my daughter, Valentina. I’m very happy. This is for the Dominican Republic, right here.”

More Former Cleveland Players Come Back To Bite Guardians

Like Caminero, an ultimate gamer and former Guardian, Richie Palacios—also starting his MLB career in Cleveland—ignited Tampa Bay’s offense in ALCS Game 6 by fouling off several tough pitches before opening up the scoring on a second inning go-ahead two-run double. 

RAYS STRIKE FIRST IN GAME 6 👀

Richie Palacios drives in a pair! pic.twitter.com/qttHaJZLnO

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2026

Well-executed left-on-left hitting against Cleveland reliever Tim Herrin to make it 2-0. 

“It’s amazing, we work our tails off for this and have trust in each other,” said the Brooklyn, NY native Palacios, 28, of Puerto Rican and Curaçao heritage. 

“We got dogs. Every game we go out there, we think it’s ours. No matter who is on the mound, no matter who is on the other side, we think it’s ours. Sometimes we come up short and that’s fine. We are able to lock back in and celebrate today. We want one more celebration.” 

The ALCS celebration was turned all the way on for Yandy Díaz, a Cuban star doing legendary things and another former Guardian, continuing to rake. The 35-year-old of Sagua la Grande, Cuba, Tampa Bay’s lightning rod as many deem him in the Rays clubhouse, put the icing on the cake with a two-run home run in the ninth. 

YANDY DÍAZ NO-DOUBT HOME RUN! pic.twitter.com/ku7BxY904U

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2026

He all but guaranteed a Rays Game 6 ALCS victory during Game 5’s postgame Sunday and ended up delivering the best way possible against his former team Monday.

Making his MLB debut with Cleveland in 2017, Díaz was signed as an international free agent out of Cuba in 2013 and spent two seasons with them before being traded to the Rays. 

Fast forward to seven years later and Díaz is now the Rays all-time leader in postseason games played at 41, which includes a trip to the World Series in 2020 and his second coming this week. 

After the final out as champagne began to appear, the Cuban slugger was all smiles, while eating his postgame tomahawk steak.

Yandy Díaz is celebrating with a nice steak 💀🥩 pic.twitter.com/yAdQkeuU4b

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) October 20, 2026

“It feels like we’re on top of the world, and hopefully this time around, it’s us for us to win,” Díaz said. “Tampa is giving me life. So, you know, just to be here every single day is such an honor.”   

For players such as Díaz and Rays right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. representing Cuba means a little bit extra just because of the difficulty and challenges faced of getting to states by defecting. 

For Díaz, he almost didn’t make it to the U.S. several times. 

Yandy Díaz dice que nació listo para la Serie Mundial. 🎤 pic.twitter.com/K8kNZJjod5

— MLB Español (@mlbespanol) October 20, 2026

“Being in Cuba, you dream of being in this moment. There were a lot of sacrifices,” Díaz noted.

“There were a lot of hard moments, but here we are, so really happy and really thankful to be here. Enjoy every second.” 

Freddy Krueger put the Dagger in Guards

Freddy Peralta, but ‘Freddy Krueger’ in this series—registering 12 innings with an ERA of 0.75 and nine strikeouts over three appearances, two of which were starts and wins—was named the ALCS MVP following another lights out performance in Game 6. 

Freddy Peralta exits to a standing ovation from Rays fans 👏 pic.twitter.com/5cknZZDfau

— MLB (@MLB) October 20, 2026

He even came out of the bullpen in ALCS Game 4 in Cleveland for a departing Nick Martinez in the sixth and escaped unscathed. 

The in-season turnaround after being acquired from the Mets is historic as he is now one of the key reasons the Rays are going to the World Series.

And Monday night he did it again—pitching 5.1 innings of one run ball with five hits allowed, three walks and three strikeouts—84 pitches, 51 strikes.

El MVP de la #ALCS: Freddy Peralta. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/KaPBEWpuvw

— MLB Español (@mlbespanol) October 20, 2026

Peralta credited the Rays coaching staff, including pitching coach Kyle Snyder, bullpen coaches Jorge Moncada and Charlie Valerio, amongst several others for his dramatic turnaround. 

“I think this is the right place that God brought me to,” he said. “The first thing was praying every day, as always, praying to God, and asking to keep me humble and keep me on my feet, because when you are going through it and have a lot of bad moments it’s tough to deal with that. And when I got traded everything changed because I have a lot of good people here that are supporting me.” 

The 30-year-old product out of Moca, Dominican Republic had a kind message for his homeland that was shared by Dominican icon and Cooperstown Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez on the TBS/TNT postgame set:

Freddy Peralta sends a heartfelt message to the people of his hometown in the Dominican Republic 🥹🇩🇴 pic.twitter.com/EhoYEQMdVA

— TNT Sports U.S. (@TNTSportsUS) October 20, 2026

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