AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES VS RAYS

October 2, 2026

Junior Caminero

Yandy Diaz

Tropicana Field

Tampa Bay Rays

Workout Day Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Yandy and Junior.

Q. Start with Junior. Junior, you've been talking about playing in October, playing in October. Now that it's finally here, how much are you looking forward to it?

JUNIOR CAMINERO: I feel great. The moment's here. We've been talking about this all year long. Now everybody on the team is ready and I'm here to impact the team in whatever way I can.

Q. Yandy, this is not a lineup with a ton of playoff experience, outside of you. What do you think is different about hitting in October and what have you tried to tell the other guys?

YANDY DIAZ: Yeah, starting tomorrow, I'll talk to the guys and kind of give them my advice. But right now, I can tell you that it's just a normal game. The stakes are a little bit higher, but we've got to treat it like every other game that we have this regular season. So, look, I have full belief in this team, and we're going to get it done.

Q. Yandy, if you could I think you were one of the only two or three guys on the team that were teammates of Drew when he arrived from Milwaukee. Can you talk about his perseverance and dedication with all he went through to get back to the level he's at right now? He's been phenomenal for you this season.

YANDY DIAZ: Yeah, there's not enough words to describe Drew Rasmussen. He's been great for us this entire year and he's someone who dedicates to his work every day. He does his job every single time he goes on the mound and pitches for us. He's just been a great pitcher for us this year.

Q. For both guys, what has it been like the last two years not making the playoffs after, Junior, you were part of 2023 and obviously, Yandy you were. Yandy, specifically, you were on the last team that won a playoff game for the Rays in '21. What makes you believe this team has the ability to go deep in the postseason?

YANDY DIAZ: Yeah, for me personally, the way I look at it is sure, we missed the postseason these last two years, but it's in the past. We're wiping away those two seasons and now here I'm excited for this new opportunity, which starts this week in the 2026 postseason.

Q. (No microphone).

YANDY DIAZ: I think the mentality we've shown from the beginning of the year. This team has shown it from the get-go. As a staff, as players, as support staff, we've all been connected from the beginning of the year. We've done our part and now the belief and the harmony we've had has pushed us to this point and I think will push us again in this final month.

Q. Junior, can you talk about your experience in the WBC and in the Winter League playoffs? Do you think that could help you in this situation now?

JUNIOR CAMINERO: Yeah, it can help a little bit. The environment of the WBC and the environment of playing in the Dominicans is obviously different. At the end of the day, we're still playing baseball.

Right now, my focus is to help this team, the Tampa Bay Rays. That's the team I'm a part of. That's the team that chose me to be in this position. I feel really good going into it having some experience at high-level stakes games. They're a little different. At the end of the day, we're playing baseball and I'm confident in my talents and to see what I can do here.

Q. (Question in Spanish).

JUNIOR CAMINERO: I think it's the confidence, the confidence that I have. I give myself a little credit because I've put in a lot of work with specifically Brady Williams, our third base coach. We've had our fair share of conversations on how to get better.

Last year, defensively, my season was okay. It wasn't where I wanted it to be. If you look at the beginning of this year, you know, there was some mistakes that I made in the infield that aren't where I need to be at. I started working really hard. Now I'm in a position where I think I'm a very good defender and have progressed really well defensively this entire season. Yeah, it's a matter of playing with the confidence and, again, helping the team.

Q. I have a different question for Junior. I read you had a role in naming your brother, Girardi. What was the story there?

JUNIOR CAMINERO: Yeah, so when he was born, right, there was kind of -- the Yankees were really popular in that moment. And we were watching Yankees games, and Joe Girardi was the manager at that time of the Yankees. When he was about to be born, my parents were talking about what do we want to name the baby? What do we want to name him? I kind of threw it out there and said why not Girardi because of the manager of the Yankees. That's where the story comes from.

Q. Were you a big Yankee fan? Does that add some excitement for the series?

JUNIOR CAMINERO: Look, not necessarily. In that moment, the Yankees were really popular, especially with the Boston/New York rivalry. So I watched a lot of games in the Dominican as a little kid, whoever was on. In that moment, it was just the Yankees. But, you know, I was just watching baseball at that point.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks so much. Have a great series. Appreciate it.