Rays Prospect Junior Caminero Overcome With Emotion Playing vs. His Hero Manny Machado

Tom Dierberger | Aug 30, 2024

Junior Caminero got choked up talking about what playing against Manny Machadeo means to him. / Bally Sports Sun

Junior Caminero will remember the Tampa Bay Rays' matchup against the San Diego Padres on Friday night for a long, long time.

Caminero, the No. 1-ranked prospect in all of baseball, took the field against his childhood hero Manny Machado for the first time at Tropicana Field. Bally Sports Sun's Tricia Whitaker caught up with the 21-year-old phenom before the game to chat about the moment—and Caminero's eyes welled up in tears.

"It's a dream," Caminero said (via Rays translator Manny Navarro).

“All the dreams. They can come true.”

🥹 Rays top prospect Junior Caminero, had tears streaming down his face talking about playing on the same field as Manny Machado, his childhood idol & the reason he wears 13.

This is what it’s all about. pic.twitter.com/qSk25SoxOr

— Tricia Whitaker (@TriciaWhitaker) August 30, 2024

Machado took time before the game to speak with Caminero during batting practice and summed it up to Whitaker in another interview.

"It's what this game is all about," Machado said. "I mean, we want to impact one, two, three out of millions of players or people around the world that we can impact. ... He's a superstar in the making."

“I know he got emotional and that is what the game is all about. To impact the young generation. It’s incredible. Junior Caminero is a superstar in the making.”

- Manny Machado on Junior Caminero’s emotional interview about being on the same field as his childhood idol https://t.co/w7mlRg2NOT pic.twitter.com/9GCSgmwpIk

— Tricia Whitaker (@TriciaWhitaker) August 31, 2024

Caminero batted third and started at third base in manager Kevin Cash's lineup Friday night, while Machado took the Padres' designated hitter duties in the cleanup spot.

It didn't take long for Machado to show Caminero how it's done, as he singled in a run in the first inning and hit a three-run homer in the second.