Tampa Bay Rays Chase First World Series Title
The Tampa Bay Rays advanced to the World Series after beating the Cleveland Guardians in six games in the American League Championship Series. They will face the Milwaukee Brewers, with Game 1 on Friday at 8 p.m. EDT on Fox in Milwaukee.
The old saying goes that the third time’s the charm. For the Rays, the hope is that it holds true.
The Rays are making their third World Series appearance after coming up short in 2008 and 2020. The Brewers are making their first since 1982. Neither team has won a World Series, and it’s the first Fall Classic between two title-less teams since 1980.
Over the last 30 years, 22 champions have landed in the top half of Major League Baseball payrolls. Both the Rays and the Brewers fall in the bottom half, taking a different route to the World Series.
The Rays specialize in small ball. They don’t hit many home runs, instead relying on bunts, contact hits and stolen bases to manufacture runs. Tampa Bay led the American League with 164 stolen bases, hit .258 as a team and led MLB with 49 bunts, the most in a season since 2008.
The Rays hit 169 home runs in the regular season, 22nd in baseball. “We’re going to use our speed. We’re going to bunt when it’s called for. We’ll try to get matchups, and I can assure you they’re going to do the same,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said.
Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson, who led the American League in stolen bases, is the definition of that style.
The pitching staff is what makes the team complete. Tampa Bay led the majors with a 1.14 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched), and the staff posted a 3.70 ERA, seventh in baseball. The Rays also ranked third in MLB with 1,322 strikeouts and recorded 58 saves.
Rays starters have a 1.98 ERA in the 2026 postseason, led by Freddy Peralta, who had a 0.75 ERA in the ALCS and was named series MVP. Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez are the other starters, and Bryan Baker and Cam Booser have been strong out of the bullpen, both posting ERAs below 2.00.
Milwaukee plays a similar brand of baseball but is more of a situational, disciplined hitting team. The Brewers’ .341 on-base percentage and 1,422 hits both led MLB. They were fifth in the majors with 162 stolen bases and drew 668 walks, second most in MLB.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy works to take advantage of every at-bat, and the disciplined approach paid off: Milwaukee won 103 games, the most in the majors and a franchise record.
Outfielder Jake Bauers is a prime example, drawing 94 walks in the regular season with a .389 on-base percentage. Other big names in the lineup include second baseman Brice Turang, an on-base threat, and outfielder Jackson Chourio, who can hurt a team with his bat and his legs.
The Rays’ pitchers have faced tough offenses throughout the 2026 postseason, but the Brewers will be the toughest. Limiting walks, controlling the running game and getting ahead in counts will be keys for Tampa Bay.
For a franchise in its 29th season that has come close before, the goal is to finally get over the hump. After Monday’s win clinched the pennant, Rays third baseman Junior Caminero shouted: “Tampa, this is for you!”
Caminero and the Rays hope they can say the same after the World Series.
Category: MLB, MLB Playoffs, Tampa Bay Rays, World Series
