Tampa Bay slugger Junior Caminero became the youngest player in major league history since at least 1900 to hit a home run in six straight games, after delivering a two-run shot in the first inning at Kansas City on Wednesday night.
Caminero, 22 years, 361 days old, went deep on the first pitch he faced, a sinker, from Royals right-hander Seth Lugo just three batters into the contest. A first-time All-Star in 2025, third baseman Caminero has hit nine of his 24 home runs in the last eight games.
Ken Griffey Jr. was 23 years and 246 days old when he homered in his sixth consecutive game on July 25, 1993. Griffey went on to homer in eight straight games, tying the MLB mark belonging to Dale Long (1956) and Don Mattingly (1987).
Willie Mays and Nolan Arenado homered in six straight when they were each age 24. Carlos Pena had set the Tampa Bay franchise record of six in a row from June 6-12, 2010, and now shares it with Caminero.
Lugo also gave up the first two homers in Caminero’s streak at Tropicana Field last Thursday when the native of the Dominican Republic posted his first career three-homer game.
Caminero, who turns 24 on Sunday, entered the day with 75 career home runs in 286 regular-season games, a .269 batting average, .518 slugging percentage and .330 on-base percentage.
