By Nicole Fernandes
Oct 22 (Reuters) – A historic first championship is on the line for the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays when they clash in the opening game of the World Series on Friday.
This year marks the first World Series since 1980 that features two teams who have never won a title. Billed as a showdown between two of MLB’s smaller markets, it is quite the contrast from last year’s Fall Classic matchup between the heavy-spending Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays.
The Brewers and Rays are among MLB’s smallest spenders and lowest-valued teams. Milwaukee ranked 21st at $1.9 billion on Forbes’ 2026 team valuations while Tampa Bay were three spots below them at $1.7 billion.
A first-time winner is guaranteed, but each side will need to kick into another gear if they want to etch their names into the history books.
RED-HOT BREWERS
Milwaukee arrive at the World Series stage for the first time since 1982 after leading the league with a franchise-record 103 wins during the regular season. They dispatched the San Diego Padres in four games in the NLDS before sweeping the two-time defending champion Dodgers in the NLCS.
The versatile, well-rounded team is headlined by ace Jacob Misiorowski, who will need to find his regular-season rhythm if the Brewers want to claim their first title. The National League Cy Young favourite recorded an MLB-best 252 strikeouts this season but has not completed five innings in a start this postseason.
Milwaukee will also rely on an offence led by NLCS MVP Jake Bauers, William Contreras and Jackson Chourio, as well as their strong bullpen.
As Brewers manager Pat Murphy put it after eliminating the Dodgers, his team is made up of “a bunch of gamers” who will hope to use their swagger to knock out four more wins.
TAMPA BACK IN WORLD SERIES
Tampa return to the World Series for the first time since 2020, when they fell to the Dodgers in six games. After posting 98 regular-season wins, they swept the New York Yankees in the ALDS before surging back from 2-1 down against the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS to punch their ticket to the World Series.
Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda lead an impressive Rays offence but they will need to rise to the occasion against the Brewers. Tampa will especially be counting on Caminero, who fired off 42 home runs in the regular season but has cracked just one this postseason.
Both Drew Rasmussen and ALCS MVP Freddy Peralta have shone on the mound these playoffs and are backed up by a deep bullpen. Rasmussen has allowed three runs over 21 innings while Peralta has allowed two across 16 ⅔ frames.
The Rays have shown they can put up a fight this postseason and will need to keep that spirit alive heading into the final stage of their title pursuit against a strong Brewers side.
Game 1 of the World Series between the Brewers and Rays is set for Friday at American Family Field in Milwaukee.
(Reporting by Nicole Fernandes in TorontoEditing by Toby Davis)
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