Rays and Brewers set for 2026 World Series

The Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers will meet in the 2026 World Series, a matchup that guarantees one franchise its first championship. Game 1 is scheduled for October 23 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, with the opening game set for 8 p.m. ET. Tampa Bay clinched its third pennant in franchise history, while Milwaukee reached the Fall Classic for the second time. The teams’ previous World Series appearances ended in losses: the Rays fell to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008 and the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020, and the Brewers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982. The Rays’ route to the series included a first-round bye, followed by victories over the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians, according to one account of the postseason. Tampa Bay had the American League’s best regular-season record, that report said. Milwaukee finished the regular season with baseball’s best record and its first 100-win campaign, also earning a first-round bye. The matchup brings together two teams that have pursued success without ranking among baseball’s highest payrolls. Tampa Bay ranked 28th in payroll and Milwaukee 19th in 2026, according to a report on league spending. The...