The World Series starts Friday, and regardless of the result, we will see a first-time winner. The Milwaukee Brewers have been a franchise since 1969, and this will be just their second World Series appearance. The Tampa Bay Rays have been a franchise since 1998, and this will be their third World Series appearance.
The World Series is a seven-game series, split two-three-two between the home and away teams. The series will run Friday, October 23, through, potentially, Saturday, October 31.
Let’s take a look at some key storylines and players to keep an eye on during the 2026 World Series.
Milwaukee exorcised some demons in the NLCS, sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers just a year after those same Dodgers swept the Brewers. It’s the first time that has happened, and it’s fitting that these pesky Brewers are the ones to set that record. They won all four games on the back of their lockdown bullpen and late-game offense, as they trailed at some point (usually early) in all of them. They were able to chase all of the Dodgers’ ace-caliber starting pitchers and get into a slightly weaker bullpen in order to do damage. Big hits from up and down the lineup propelled the Brewers in this series, and they look to continue the hot stretch all the way to a title.
The Rays had a little bit of a tougher series with Cleveland, winning the series in six games. They dropped a game at home early before winning two out of three in Cleveland and clinching the series back in Florida. It seemed as though every game was close until it wasn’t, generally having the winning team break it open late. Starting pitching was key for Tampa Bay as they relied heavily on their main arms like Rasmussen, Peralta, and Martinez. Their big bats started to wake up towards the end of the series too, with Junior Caminero and Yandy Diaz hitting important home runs. The Rays will need to keep that jolt alive to break through against Milwaukee.
The Brewers and the Rays are some of the most evenly matched teams I’ve seen in a recent postseason matchup. They play very similar brands of baseball, and neither team has a glaring weakness, which makes sense, given that it’s the World Series. These teams played each other only once this season. The Brewers won two of those three games, but they were played March 30, April 1, and April 2 in Milwaukee, so it’s hard to take into account anything that happened that early in the season. Both teams can hit home runs in big spots, both teams can put pressure on the defense with their legs, and both teams have a wealth of talented arms in their pitching staffs. This series is shaping up to be incredibly exciting, and I cannot wait to watch.
The NLCS MVP, Bauers has come up with big moment after big moment. He produced two of the most impressive plate appearances off of Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell, producing a walk and a home run on double-digit pitch counts.
There is an argument that could be made that Contreras was the MVP of the championship series. He is another guy for the Brewers who just continues to come up with big hits when his team needs it. He also always makes sure to take in the moment, especially when trotting around the bases.
Misiorowski is very likely going to win the Cy Young in the National League. Yet, the Brewers have won without him being truly dominant in his two starts this postseason. If he can be electric rather than just solid, the Brewers can feel much more confident in their chances.
Caminero hit his first home run of the playoffs in their decisive game against Cleveland on Monday night. After hitting 42 in the regular season, that swing may unlock the young slugger.
Diaz has had a hit in every game this postseason but one. Outside of Caminero, he is probably the biggest power threat on this Rays team.
Peralta earned ALCS MVP honors after pitching 11 innings of one-run ball over three appearances in the series. He has been fantastic for the Rays, and it will be interesting to watch him against his former team.
With how dominant the Brewers’ pitching staff, and especially their bullpen, has looked in October, ot is paramount that the Brewers can find any way to take leads whenever they can. This means playing small ball, hitting with runners on, and maybe popping some big homers. Any way that you can hand a lead to a bullpen that has been lights out.
Other teams seem to have the most success off the Brewers when they turn Milwaukee’s own game around on them. The Rays are perhaps the team best equipped to do just that. Fighting off pitches, working deep counts, getting on base, and wreaking havoc on the basepaths are things that both of these teams like to do. The Rays will have to execute in those facets of the game if they want to throw the Brewers off the roll that they are on.
Probables are based on team rotations and levels of rest in the playoffs.
MIL – Jacob Misiorowski
TB – Drew Rasmussen
MIL – Logan Henderson
TB – Nick Martinez
MIL – Robert Gasser
TB – Freddy Peralta
MIL – Dustin May
TB – Griffin Jax
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