Why Joey Votto was fine with Rays superstar Junior Caminero ‘dunking’ on Cade Smith with extreme celebration appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero’s lengthy home run celebration sparked debate after his decisive blast against Cleveland Guardians closer Cade Smith helped send Tampa Bay to the World Series.
Caminero crushed a first-pitch splitter off the left-field foul pole in the seventh inning of Monday’s American League Championship Series Game 6 at Tropicana Field. The two-run shot extended the Rays’ lead to 5-1, providing insurance in their eventual 7-3 victory.
The 23-year-old took 38.66 seconds to circle the bases, the longest postseason home run trot recorded in the Statcast era. He pounded his chest, acknowledged the crowd and adopted former Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena’s crossed-arms celebration near home plate. Arozarena attended the game.
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During a discussion with Christopher Russo and host Brian Kenny Tuesday, former Reds superstar Joey Votto defended the 23-year-old slugger’s celebration. MLB Now took to X, formerly Twitter, to share Votto’s comments supporting the Rays slugger’s lengthy home run trot.
“What do we owe to you? We owe you nothing, and you know what? When we get you in a big moment, we’re gonna dunk on you and celebrate, and that’s what I saw from from Caminero.”
.@JoeyVotto and @MadDogUnleashed don't agree about Junior Caminero's home run trot last night 😂
"When we get you in a big moment, we're going to dunk on you and celebrate." https://t.co/WNdJOzSYFNpic.twitter.com/zx1AqaYwcV
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) October 20, 2026
Russo disagreed with the extended trot, illustrating contrasting views on how players should celebrate prominent postseason moments.
The home run was Caminero’s first in postseason play and marked the first major league homer Smith had allowed on his splitter. Caminero’s trot also ranked second among undisputed, uninterrupted home runs tracked by Statcast since 2015. Only his own 40.65-second trip around the bases against the Athletics in September was slower.
Caminero’s tribute to Arozarena connected the moment to Tampa Bay’s previous postseason runs, although it does not establish that every gesture targeted Smith.
Yandy Diaz added a two-run homer in the eighth inning, while Freddy Peralta earned ALCS MVP honors after helping the Rays secure their third pennant.
The Rays now advance to face the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series, beginning Friday.
Related: Junior Caminero’s ALCS Game 6 Rays HR was unprecedented in multiple ways
Related: Guardians star Cade Smith’s classy response to Junior Caminero’s extreme Game 6 showboating