Rays top Angels 5-4 on Aug 8, 2025, as Junior Caminero's 30th HR and a 16-strikeout bullpen performance seal a fourth straight win. See how the rookie led the charge.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
The Tampa Bay Rays are officially on a heater. After a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels to clinch the series, the team has now rattled off four consecutive wins. The recipe for success on Wednesday was a familiar one: a massive dose of rookie power from Junior Caminero and a bullpen that simply refused to bend, setting the stage for a pivotal homestand against the Cleveland Guardians.
The guys kept battling, and the bullpen was lights out. Caminero’s just continuing to do incredible things.
Junior Caminero isn't just a rookie; he's a phenomenon. The young slugger put the team on his back against the Angels, launching two home runs to bring his season total to a remarkable 30. His second blast, a towering 447-foot shot, was a career-long and a clear statement of his elite power. It's performances like these that have made him an indispensable part of the lineup and a frontrunner for Rookie of the Year.
While Caminero provided the early fireworks, it was the bullpen that slammed the door shut. The relief corps was utterly dominant, racking up a combined 16 strikeouts. Shane Baz set the tone with nine K's in just four innings. The game's most critical moment, however, belonged to newcomer Griffin Jax. Acquired just before the trade deadline for Taj Bradley, Jax entered a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the 8th inning and proceeded to strike out the side, showcasing exactly why the front office targeted him. It was a gutsy, game-saving performance that has already endeared him to the fanbase.
The victory was a true team effort, with other key players stepping up. Christopher Morel delivered the decisive blow with a go-ahead solo homer in the 7th inning. Catcher Nick Fortes, recently acquired from the Marlins, also got in on the action, smashing his first home run in a Rays uniform. It was his first hit in five games with the team, and a welcome sign of potential production from the catcher position.
The win was unfortunately soured by an injury to Jonny DeLuca. The center fielder, who had just returned on July 25 from a long stint on the IL, legged out a triple in the 6th inning but immediately pulled up with right hamstring tightness. His status for the upcoming series against the Guardians is now uncertain, a tough blow for a player who has battled injuries all season.
Even as Junior Caminero graduates from prospect status with his stellar MLB performance, the Rays' pipeline remains one of baseball's best. Shortstop Carson Williams now takes the mantle as the team's top prospect and ranks No. 9 overall in the sport. The system is loaded with promising hitters like Xavier Isaac, Brayden Taylor, and Tre’ Morgan, ensuring the next wave of talent is on its way. The recent trades also restocked the minor league pitching depth, adding arms like Brody Hopkins and Jackson Baumeister.
The Rays are finally showing the fire fans have been waiting for. With a four-game winning streak providing a massive tailwind, they return to the Trop to face the Cleveland Guardians. Can they carry this momentum from the West Coast and get back to .500? The weekend series will be a crucial test. First pitch is Friday at 6:40 PM ET – let's see if the boys can keep the streak alive.
