In a short, relatively uneventful All-Star Game, the AL held the NL to just three hits en route to a 4-0 win.
Perhaps the moment that drew the most attention came in the third inning when Tampa Bay Rays superstar third baseman Junior Caminero was hit on his left hand by a 97.6 mph fastball from St. Louis Cardinals righty reliever Riley O'Brien.
Caminero immediately went down in a heap, and after wincing on the ground for around 30 seconds, he ran off into the clubhouse under his own power.
Junior Caminero just took 98 off the hand from Cardinals closer and former Reds minor leaguer Riley O’Brien.
— Chatterbox Sports (@CBoxSports) July 15, 2026
He left the game. pic.twitter.com/F7vtDmTrrO
An injury at any exhibition event is something that nobody wants to see, but luckily for Caminero and the Rays, his X-rays came back negative.
The 23-year-old sensation is considered day-to-day and is hoping to play on Friday in a double-header at Fenway Park against the Boston Red Sox.
"A 98 mile-per-hour sinker on the hands, and it didn't hit my bat at all," Caminero said after the game. "It was a scary moment, but right now we feel really good, and we're going to keep moving forward."
O'Brien obviously had no intention of hitting anyone in an All-Star Game, and he went to check in on Caminero in the AL clubhouse to check in with him.
"I felt absolutely terrible about that," O'Brien said. "Last thing I want to do in an All-Star Game is hit someone and, God forbid, hurt him...I wasn't even trying to go inside on that pitch, and it was unfortunate it hit him, but glad it's nothing serious."
Caminero appreciated the gesture: "He came into the clubhouse to apologize, but I told him, 'No, it's part of the game.' He was really worried, but I told him, 'Look, these things happen. We're here to have fun, we're here to enjoy the night.'"
The Rays have been one of the best stories in MLB this season. After going 77-85 and finishing 4th in the AL East last year, they ended this year's first half with a 56-38 record and a three game lead over the New York Yankees in the division. Caminero has been their best player, mashing 28 homers to the tune of a .927 OPS.
The young slugger has gotten off to a torrid start to his MLB career. In just 298 career games, Caminero has hit 80 home runs - the fastest to 100 home runs is Ryan Howard who did it in his 325th career game in 2007.
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