Rays’ All-Star performance also was special for the organization

ATLANTA — Rays baseball operations president Erik Neander was watching on TV Tuesday night when the moment struck him.

As the National League team came up to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning, the three active Rays All-Stars were on the field together.

Drew Rasmussen was on the mound to pitch his inning. Jonathan Aranda took over at first base. Junior Caminero, who was in the starting lineup, stayed in at third.

Plus their fourth star, Brandon Lowe, who was inactive due to left oblique soreness, was watching from the top step of the dugout.

That all four were in Atlanta, as part of the squad of the American League’s best players, was one thing.

“It’s special,” Neander said by phone Wednesday.

More so, how each of the four got there.

Lowe was a 2015 draft pick who improved dramatically in the Rays’ minor-league system and is now the longest-tenured player.

Aranda has been in the organization nearly as long, a product of their international program, signing as a 17-year-old from Tijuana, and this year maximizing his long-awaited opportunity to play every day.

Rasmussen was first a draft pick — the Rays didn’t sign him in 2017 due to medical concerns — and then after reaching the majors with Milwaukee became a 2021 trade acquisition with the endorsement of the pro scouts.

And Caminero — who at 22 made the first of what may be many appearances in the midsummer classic — is also a product of multiple departments in the Rays organization: He was scouted as an amateur, acquired in trade in November 2021 as an 18-year-old after one pro season, and then developed by the Rays staff into one of the game’s best young talents.

“Their collective journeys have involved every part of our organization and there’s a lot of pride that comes with that,” Neander said. “We’re so happy for them and their families to have had the experience in Atlanta.”

The players enjoyed the group dynamic and the camaraderie — including the private jets to and from Atlanta — and the shared success.

As much as Lowe, 31, wanted to be the fourth Ray on the field, he, too, appreciated what he saw, noting Aranda and Caminero each got a hit, and Rasmussen worked a 1-2-3 inning.

“Being their teammate, being kind of that older guy that’s trying to — I can’t even say like help usher them into this league because they’re well established at this point and know what they’re doing — but there is kind of that cool older brother moment,” Lowe said.

“These guys have come full circle. They’re bona fide All-Stars. They’re here. They’re legit.”

Aranda said it was even better doing it together.

“I think it was excellent for the team,” said Aranda via team interpreter Eddie Rodriguez. “Not only that we were in there at the same time, but the three of us were able to have good games.”

Assistant GM Kevin Ibach said the players should enjoy what they did.

“It was definitely special seeing those guys on the field together on a national stage,” he said. “We know that we will lean on them heavily these next few months to achieve our goals as a team, but what a cool individual moment as they represented the Rays well in Atlanta.”

After losing 12 of their last 16 games, and eight of 10 on the three-city road trip, the Rays are hoping the break — for those who worked in Atlanta and those who got a chance to recharge elsewhere — will do them well.

“Looking past the break, the last few days should serve as a strong reminder about the talent on this team and what they are capable of accomplishing,” Neander said.

In the swing

Reviews from players, MLB officials and fans were good with the swing-off — a modified home run derby — to break the 6-6 tie after nine innings.

Aranda, who came close but was unable to keep the AL team alive, not hitting any homers in the three final swings of the night, said it was a good experience.

And he enjoyed his moment on the world stage.

“Everybody’s watching, and I didn’t think it was going to be easy,” Aranda said. “I stood up there just to have fun, and that’s what I did.”

The tiebreaker didn’t include some of the bigger-name All-Stars — such as Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani — as some starters leave when taken out of the game.

Plus both managers said that when they made their lists on Monday they wanted to go with players who would be in the game late and thus still be loose and ready to hit.

AL/Yankees manager Aaron Boone still thought it was a great way to determine a winner and could become more common.

“It will be interesting to see where that goes,” he said. “There’s probably a world where you could see that in the future, where maybe it’s in some regular-season mix. I mean, I wouldn’t be surprised if people start talking about it like that.

“Obviously, I don’t think that should happen, necessarily, or would at any time in the near future. But I’ve got to say, it was pretty exciting. Like all of a sudden, here we go. And the camaraderie that you kind of build these last couple days with the team, I think went into overdrive there. …

“Our side, to see how excited they were out there, it’s like wiffle ball in the back yard. Here we go. Let’s do it.”

• • •

Sign up for the Sports Today newsletter to get daily updates on the Bucs, Rays, Lightning and college football across Florida.

Every weekday, tune into our Sports Day Tampa Bay podcast to hear reporter Rick Stroud break down the biggest stories in Tampa Bay sports.

Never miss out on the latest with your favorite Tampa Bay sports teams. Follow our coverage on X and Facebook.

Rays’ All-Star performance also was special for the organization

Tags: