Joey Votto defends Junior Caminero’s long home run celebration after Rays reach World Series
Votto backed Caminero’s emphatic trot after a seventh-inning homer helped Tampa Bay beat Cleveland in the AL Championship Series. Christopher Russo disagreed.
Joey Votto defended Junior Caminero’s extended home run celebration during a Tuesday discussion on MLB Now, after the Tampa Bay Rays third baseman homered in Monday night’s 7-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Game 6 victory sent Tampa Bay to the World Series, while Caminero’s trot prompted a disagreement over how players should celebrate a postseason moment.
ClutchPoints reported that Votto, a former Cincinnati Reds star, discussed the celebration with Christopher Russo and host Brian Kenny. Citing a post by MLB Now, it quoted Votto saying: ‘When we get you in a big moment, we're gonna dunk on you and celebrate.’ Russo disagreed with the extended trot, according to the report.
The home run that put Tampa Bay ahead 5-1
Caminero hit Cade Smith’s splitter off the left-field foul pole in the seventh inning, giving the Rays a 5-1 lead, the Associated Press reported. It was Caminero’s first career postseason home run and the first homer Smith had allowed on a splitter. The swing gave Tampa Bay a four-run cushion in the game that secured its place in the World Series.
According to AP, Caminero turned toward the Rays dugout and pounded his chest before reaching first base. He cupped his ear as he rounded second, stopped before home plate, pointed into the stands and crossed his arms before scoring. The crossed arms echoed a celebration associated with former Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena.
The homer followed a regular season in which Caminero hit 42 home runs. He had gone 33 at-bats without one in October, AP reported. That wait, and the size of the seventh-inning lead, formed the setting for the celebration Votto defended and Russo criticized.
Rays face Brewers in World Series opener
Tampa Bay reached the World Series for the third time in its 29 seasons after winning three straight games against Cleveland, having trailed the series 1-2. Rays manager Kevin Cash told his team, ‘We got one more bite!’ as the clubhouse celebration began, AP reported.
The Rays will face the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 on Friday in Milwaukee, according to AP. The matchup guarantees a first-time World Series champion. For Cleveland, the defeat extended a championship drought to 78 years; Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said he was proud of his team but that the loss ‘hurts’ and ‘stings.’
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Sources and context
- Victory over Guardians sends Rays to finalsTaipei Times; report credited to AP
- Why Joey Votto was fine with Rays superstar Junior Caminero ‘dunking’ on Cade Smith with extreme celebrationClutchPoints
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.