The young Dominican talent, Junior Caminero, is about to make history in the Major Leagues. With 39 home runs in the current season, the Tampa Bay Rays’ third baseman is one home run away from joining a select group of Dominicans who have surpassed the 40 home run mark in a season. If he achieves it, Caminero would become the nineteenth Dominican to reach this outstanding figure, an achievement that has been accomplished 50 times by players from the Dominican Republic since 1987. The first to achieve this feat was George Bell, who in 1987 connected 47 home runs playing for the Toronto Blue Jays. That same year, Bell was awarded the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award of the American League, marking a milestone as the first Dominican to receive this recognition. Among the most prominent names that have surpassed 40 home runs in multiple seasons are Alex Rodríguez, who leads with eight seasons; Sammy Sosa and Albert Pujols, both with seven; and Manny Ramírez, with five.
- Nelson Cruz (4)
- David Ortiz (3)
- José Bautista (3)
- Edwin Encarnación (2)
- Vladimir Guerrero (2)
Dominicans with 40+ HR seasons
- Alex Rodríguez: 8
- Sammy Sosa: 7
- Albert Pujols: 7
- Manny Ramírez: 5
- Nelson Cruz: 4
- David Ortiz: 3
- José Bautista: 3
- Edwin Encarnación: 2
- Vladimir Guerrero: 2
- Others (1 time each): George Bell, Adrián Beltré, Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Peña, Tony Batista, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Marcell Ozuna and Juan Soto.
Some outstanding records
- Sammy Sosa: 66 HR (1998), 64 HR (2001), and 63 HR (1999).
- Alex Rodríguez: 57 HR (2002) and 54 HR (2007).
- David Ortiz: 54 HR (2006).
- José Bautista: 54 HR (2010).
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: 48 HR (2021).
- Juan Soto: 41 HR (2024).
- Marcell Ozuna: 40 HR (2023).
