Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero heads up the first-base line after hitting a solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano in the third inning of a baseball game in Denver, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Junior Caminero has made the 2026 American League MVP race far more interesting than the betting market suggests. Yordan Alvarez remains an extraordinary hitter, but Caminero’s work as Tampa Bay’s everyday third baseman makes him the more complete MVP choice.
Caminero brings power and presence
Entering play September 17, Caminero leads the American League with 41 home runs. He has added 96 RBIs, 93 runs scored and 161 hits in 151 games while batting .279 with an .898 OPS. More important, he has delivered that production while playing virtually every day at one of baseball’s most demanding infield positions.clutchpoints
The Rays star is not merely a power hitter enjoying a hot September. Caminero has put together a season that combines 40-homer force, everyday availability and a meaningful defensive assignment at third base. At 24, he has become the second-youngest player ever to post multiple 40-homer seasons, behind only Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews.mlb
That kind of production carries more MVP weight because it is not limited to the batter’s box.
Alvarez has an elite offensive case
Alvarez is having a superb season for Houston. He enters September 17 at .310 with 164 hits, 39 homers, 98 RBIs and 96 runs in 148 games. His .428 on-base percentage, .594 slugging percentage and 1.022 OPS create a substantial edge over Caminero in rate production.clutchpoints
He also leads the AL batting race and has been in Triple Crown contention for much of the season. There is no question Alvarez is one of the game’s premier offensive players.
But MVP is not simply an award for the best hitter. If it were, Alvarez would be difficult to beat.
The DH question matters
Alvarez has primarily served as Houston’s designated hitter, with 124 starts at DH and only 23 in left field through mid-September. Caminero, meanwhile, must play third base daily, handle balls in play, make throws across the diamond and absorb the physical demands of an infield position while remaining a centerpiece of Tampa Bay’s lineup.houstonchronicle
Caminero’s lead in home runs is only two, and Alvarez owns the superior slash line. Yet the difference in defensive responsibility is not minor. Third base is part of Caminero’s value every night; defense is largely absent from Alvarez’s 2026 workload.
The MVP choice
The award should recognize the player providing the most total value, not solely the most efficient offensive line. Caminero has paired AL-leading power with 151 games of availability and everyday third-base duty. With Tampa Bay also reaching 92 wins, his impact has been central to a first-rate team season.clutchpoints
Alvarez may still be the favorite. But if voters value a complete, 162-game player who hits 40-plus homers and plays a premium infield role, Junior Caminero has the stronger American League MVP case.
