Brewers and Rays Meet in 2026 World Series Previewing First-Time Champions

The 103-win Milwaukee Brewers host the Tampa Bay Rays for Game 1 of the 2026 World Series on Friday at 8 p.m. ET.

The 103-win Milwaukee Brewers host the Tampa Bay Rays for Game 1 of the 2026 World Series on Friday at 8 p.m. ET at American Family Field. Both franchises enter the Fall Classic seeking their first title in team history, with Milwaukee holding a 59.1% win probability according to ESPN simulations. The Brewers reached the series after sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, while the Rays represent the top seed from the American League.

Milwaukee’s bullpen enters the series with a 1.33 ERA across 40⅔ postseason innings, having allowed 22 hits and 38 strikeouts. Reliever Aaron Ashby has pitched 12⅓ scoreless innings during the playoffs. The Brewers' rotation features Jacob Misiorowski, who has averaged 101 mph on his fastball this postseason, and Logan Henderson. Offensively, the Brewers led the majors in the regular season with the lowest chase rate on all pitches.

Tampa Bay’s starting rotation has posted a 1.98 ERA during the playoffs, led by Drew Rasmussen, ALCS MVP Freddy Peralta, and Nick Martinez. Rasmussen has pitched at least six innings in all three of his postseason starts. The Rays' offense is anchored by Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz, and Jonathan Aranda, who combined for 86 regular-season home runs. Chandler Simpson, who hit .300 during the season, leads a Rays team that has stolen 11 bases without being caught this postseason.

ESPN experts favor the Brewers, with 12 out of 15 voters picking Milwaukee to win the series. Seven voters predict the matchup will last seven games, while five expect a six-game finish. Potential MVP candidates for Milwaukee include Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, and Brice Turang, while Jonathan Aranda, Yandy Diaz, and Drew Rasmussen received votes for the Rays.