World Series could finally settle William Contreras and Junior Caminero’s home run trot battle

The 2026 World Series will feature two teams vying for their first-ever title: the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. It's the first time since 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals, that two teams chasing their first World Series title will meet in the Fall Classic. It's bound to be an excellent series between the top seed in the National League and the top seed in the American League -- one that pits two very similar teams against one another.

While the series itself carries a very serious tone, as each team has a chance to remove its name from the list of franchises without a World Series title, there's a far less serious competition brewing between two stars of the Fall Classic. Brewers' All-Star catcher William Contreras and Rays' All-Star third baseman Junior Caminero are in the midst of a heated battle for the slowest home run trot in baseball.

It's no secret that Contreras takes his time rounding the bases after crushing a ball over the fence, but his home run trot has been even more electric during the postseason. From hyping up the Brewers' dugout as he heads to first base, to shooting what looks to be an invisible rocket launcher between second and third base, to placing an imaginary crown upon his head after touching third base, Contreras' postseason home run trot is a sight to behold.

As is the case with practically every aspect of the game in the "age of information," Contreras' home run trot can be quantified. In fact, according to Statcast, Contreras was tied for the second-slowest home run trot in baseball during the regular season at 31.14 seconds. According to MLB.com, Contreras holds the three slowest home run trots in Brewers' history since the league began tracking them in 2015.

The slowest home run trot of Contreras' career was the 38.07-second trip he took around the bases after crushing a three-run, walk-off homer against the Miami Marlins on July 19 of this year. Fans might remember Contreras launching his bat into the air before beginning his trip around the bases. However, not far behind that unhurried trip around the bases was Contreras' home run trot after crushing a game-tying solo shot off the scoreboard in Game 2 of this year's NLCS. According to Statcast, that trot, which followed Contreras' fifth career postseason homer, lasted 35.77 seconds.

While Contreras has undoubtedly posted some impressive home run trot times in recent seasons, it's Caminero who holds the record for the slowest trip around the bases since at least 2015. In fact, Caminero has produced the two slowest home run trots since the MLB started clocking the stat 11 years ago.

William Contreras and Junior Caminero in the midst of a heated battle for the slowest home run trot in MLB

During the regular season, Caminero actually averaged two less seconds on his home run trot than Contreras. Ironically, it was Caminero's teammate Yandy Díaz who was tied with Contreras for the slowest average trip around the bases in MLB. However, Caminero has the biggest outliers, including his seventh-inning homer in Game 6 of the ALCS last night, after which he took 38.66 seconds to round the bases. The only slower home run trot since 2015 was Caminero's 40.65-second trip around the bases following a walk-off homer against the Athletics back on September 15.

Perhaps the World Series will offer an opportunity for these two electric players to settle the debate of who can take more time to touch all four bases after a home run. Brewers fans are certainly hoping only Contreras gets the opportunity, but Caminero, who has crushed 87 homers across the last two regular seasons, is undoubtedly the Rays' biggest home run threat.

Contreras and Caminero's deliberate trips around the bases have sparked some outrage from fans who don't appreciate the fanfare that accompanies their postseason homers. However, Contreras has noted that his celebrations after crushing a four-bagger are meant to hype him and his teammates up, and there's no doubt that they do. Homers are huge momentum boosts in the postseason, and if given the opportunity to capitalize on that momentum, players should absolutely take it. Therefore, complaints about slow home run trots often fall on deaf ears this time of year.

Home runs are guaranteed to play a role in the outcome of the World Series, even if the Brewers and Rays are known for their ability to manufacture runs in other ways. The Brewers have crushed 10 homers in eight games in the postseason, while the Rays have just seven in nine games. If either Contreras or Caminero adds to that total, don't expect them to sprint around the bases. Instead, expect a momentum-building home run trot that takes more than half a minute.

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