Tampa Bay Rays’ Junior Caminero hits a grand slam during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the St. Louis Cardinals, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
The Rays delivered one of their most complete performances of the season Thursday afternoon, overpowering the Kansas City Royals 13-2 at Tropicana Field. The win evened the four-game series at two games each and sent Tampa Bay into the weekend with momentum and confidence.
Caminero Sets The Tone Early
Junior Caminero wasted no time putting his stamp on the game. The 20-year-old infielder opened the scoring in the first inning with a two-run homer to left, giving the Rays an early cushion and setting the tone for a historic day. Caminero added a solo shot in the fifth and a three-run blast in the eighth, finishing with three home runs, six runs batted in, and three runs scored. His performance electrified the crowd and showcased the elite power that has made him one of baseball’s most exciting young hitters.
Caminero’s three-homer game marked the first of his career and highlighted a Rays lineup that attacked Kansas City pitching from the first inning through the eighth. Tampa Bay finished with 15 hits and scored in six different innings.
Seymour Nearly Completes A Combined No-Hitter
While Caminero powered the offense, Ian Seymour anchored the pitching effort. Working behind an opener, Seymour delivered 6.2 hitless innings with seven strikeouts and complete command. The Rays carried a combined no-hitter into the ninth inning before Kansas City’s Carter Jensen broke it up with a two-run homer. Even with the late blemish, the pitching staff allowed only one hit all afternoon and kept the Royals off balance from start to finish.
Seymour improved to 4-1 on the season and continued a stretch of strong outings that have helped stabilize the Rays’ rotation.
Rays Add Insurance And Control The Game
Victor Mesa Jr. added a three-run homer in the fourth inning, extending the lead to 5-0. Tampa Bay continued to apply pressure with disciplined at-bats, steady baserunning, and timely hitting. Jonathan Aranda reached base multiple times, Nick Fortes scored twice, and the lineup consistently produced traffic.
The Rays played clean defense as well, finishing the game without an error and converting routine plays behind their dominant pitching.
Looking Ahead To The Weekend
The win pushed Tampa Bay to 45-33 and provided a strong finish to the homestand. The Rays now welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks for a weekend series at Tropicana Field. With Caminero swinging a hot bat and the pitching staff finding rhythm, Tampa Bay enters the matchup looking to build on one of its most impressive victories of the season.
