CLEVELAND — The Tampa Bay Rays‘ big three, the trio of hitters the franchise needs to fuel its first championship run, heard the ribbing from manager Kevin Cash before their 7-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Saturday in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.
They heard it in the cage Friday while they waited out a rain delay that became a rainout and again Saturday as they prepared to play on a frigid night at Progressive Field.
Third baseman Junior Caminero, designated hitter Yandy Diaz and first baseman Jonathan Aranda carried the Rays offense to 98 wins and an AL East title and through a sweep of the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series. But the few times they have collectively struggled this season, such as over the first three games of this ALCS, Cash busted out a different nickname to loosen them up.
The big three? More like Los Tres Pequeños — the three little ones.
“It’s kind of a dig at them and protecting the rest of the lineup,” Cash said. “So when they don’t hit on a given night, I’m like, ‘Yeah, I got my three Pequeños hitting.’ Yandy, Cammy and Aranda, they’ve all heard it.”
Los Pequeños came up huge Saturday, combining to go 6-for-14 with five RBIs as the Rays evened the series at two games apiece and ensured it will return home to Florida for Game 6 on Monday.
“Los Tres Pequeños right there,” Caminero said. “Pretty good job today for the boys.”
The barrel-chested Diaz, who was the most productive of the three stars with three hits in the first three games, went 2-for-5 with a two-run home4 that carried just over the wall in right field in the ninth inning to put the finishing touches on the victory.
Aranda, who entered Saturday 0-for-10 in the series, finished 3-for-4, including a single in the seventh inning that scored two runs thanks to Guardians right fielder Chase DeLauter allowing the ball to roll under his glove. Aranda wound up at third base on the error and scored moments later on Chandler Simpson‘s sacrifice fly.
Then there’s Caminero, the franchise’s 23-year-old cornerstone and AL MVP candidate who went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in Game 3 as the Rays, the team with the lowest strikeout rate in the majors this season, fanned 13 times in a 3-2 loss. It was Caminero’s second career four-strikeout performance. The struggle was jarring to outsiders. He remained confident.
“Everybody knows me,” Caminero said. “Everybody was confused about the four strikeouts, and I said, ‘No, no. I know who I am.’ Everybody knows who I am. Everybody here gave me the support.”
He responded Saturday by launching a pair of blistering line drives.
The first was a 110.7 mph flyball to center field with a 29-degree launch angle that went 410 feet and was somehow caught by Petey Halpin at the wall in the third inning. The ball had a 1.000 expected batting average and would have been a home run in 17 of 30 ballparks. It was the 204th ball in the Statcast era (since 2015) that was hit at least 110 mph with that launch angle and the first not to be hit for a home run, according to ESPN Research.
Caminero said he “100%” thought it was a home run, which would have given the Rays a 2-1 lead. Instead, he gave it to them in the sixth inning when he cracked a 110.2 mph line drive into the left-field corner for an RBI double. When he reached second base, after pounding his chest and releasing a scream, he put his index finger on his lips as if to shush the noise.
“Junior is great, and now it’s his turn to be great in the postseason,” Cash said. “Today was a big step in the right direction for him. I wouldn’t be surprised now if he catches fire and does a lot for us.”
On the mound, Nick Martinez continued his success on the road in 2026 — he posted a 2.38 ERA in 16 starts away from Tropicana Field during the regular season — by holding the Guardians to one run on two hits over 5⅓ innings. Freddy Peralta, the Rays’ Game 2 starter and presumptive Game 6 starter, replaced him in the sixth inning for his first relief appearance since 2024. Peralta entered with one out and a runner at first base and worked around a walk to escape the jam on nine pitches.
“He was all eager to come in and do it,” Cash said. “Then showed why. I mean, a lot of power. Got huge outs for us.”
Ian Seymour stumbled in the seventh inning, surrendering two runs on four hits, before Kevin Kelly, Cam Booser and Bryan Baker combined for two scoreless innings. Díaz supplied the final cushion with his first home run of the postseason in the final frame.
Drew Rasmussen, Tampa Bay’s ace, will take the mound Sunday afternoon opposite All-Star rookie left-hander Parker Messick. Teams that have won Game 5 in a series tied at two games apiece are 46-23, a 67% clip. The Rays’ chances will only grow if their Pequeños continue producing.
“At some point you think they’re going to deliver, and they do,” Booser said. “So it’s good to see them get back on track and good to see us get back playing our ball.”
