ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Cooper Pratt knew it was gone. Joey Ortiz did too.
Pratt led off the 12th inning of Game 4 on Tuesday night by driving Ian Seymour's pitch deep into the left-center field stands, putting the Brewers a half-inning away from the franchise’s first ever World Series title.
About 20 minutes later however, Pratt was consoling Ortiz in a quiet Brewers clubhouse.
The Tampa Bay Rays scored twice in the bottom of the 12th without making an out and won Game 4, 4-3. The rally started when Ortiz bounced the throw to first on Junior Caminero’s groundball.
Ortiz didn't hide from it.
"There's no excuse," Ortiz said. "Not one at all. I should make that play every (bleeping) time."
Pratt found him afterward. His advice was short and sweet.
"Flush it," Pratt said. "I've made about seven of them this postseason. So what? Next pitch.
“And next pitch is tomorrow.”
For the Brewers, a team that had lost just once all October, they spent the early hours of Wednesday morning trying to treat this loss like any other. They did not want to talk about being three outs from celebrating a World Series title.
"It can be (difficult), but if you don't let it, then you can just come back ready to play tomorrow," Ortiz said. "It's a new game."
Pratt had his own play he wanted to flush. He was thrown out trying to steal second in the ninth after the Rays challenged the safe call and won.
"I didn't think he touched me," he said. "I saw the video. It looked like in the video that I was touched. I couldn't feel it. He probably did."
Then he moved on, which seemed to be the point.
"I think a loss is a loss," Pratt said. "Losing by 10 runs is the same as losing by one run in the 12th. It's over. It's done with."
Milwaukee still leads the series 3-1. And the Brewers didn't think they played badly so much as unluckily. They hit the ball hard all night. Much of it went right at Rays fielders. William Contreras, Christian Yelich, Jake Bauers and Brice Turang went a combined 0-for-21.
"We hit a ton of balls hard today that just went right to people," Pratt said. "Nobody said this was going to be easy. They're a really good team. They've proven that all year."
The Rays will be scratching together pitching on Wednesday after using Nick Martinez in relief Tuesday night. The Brewers have the luxury of sending out their ace.
Jacob Misiorowski will start Game 5 on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field. He won Game 1 and led the majors this season with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts.
And history is on the Brewers’ side.
Every team that has led a World Series 3-0 has gone on to win it. That's 25 for 25. The Brewers are just the fifth to let Game 4 get away.
They are confident they will flush it and get back on track.
“When you're achieving something like this, it's going to have its adversity. We had some things go our way yesterday. They had some things go their way today. That's the way it is,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.
“You just live with it, and if you're a competitor, you wake up tomorrow morning and come ready to play.”
And by the end, this World Series looked a lot closer than it did when the night began.
Oh, the Milwaukee Brewers still hold a 3-1 Series lead even after the Tampa Bay Rays got on the board with a 4-3, extra-inning Game 4 triumph after the Brewers were just three outs from clinching their first championship in franchise history.
They’ve got three to win one, odds that any desperate celebrity shilling for a prediction market would surely take. But in a Series that would likely be defined by the performance of its relievers, significant bullpen resources were expended on both sides in a Game 4 that began Tuesday, Oct. 28 and bled into Wednesday.
The Brewers will have just one advantage heading into Game 5: Jacob Misiorowski.
And it’s safe to say they need The Miz more than ever.
He pitched solidly in Game 1, going five innings and striking out just three, a K-rate that might raise eyebrows for a guy who throws 103 mph. Yet five innings is a marathon in this postseason context. Misiorowski did great.
Now, the Brewers will ask him to get out of his comfort zone.
Misiorowski, who led the major leagues with 252 strikeouts, typically gets an extra day or two of rest, the better to conserve his otherworldly arm. He’s still just 24, his odometer is already in uncharted territory at 187 total innings and, since this is a one-time bullet, you want to fire it at an optimal moment.
Four solid innings would typically be fine. But when the Brewers fly back to Milwaukee, they don't want to play more baseball; they want the Commissioner’s Trophy strapped safely into a seat on the team charter.
And Miz is the only man who can prevent Game 5 from becoming a battle of attrition.
Consider the workloads of both teams’ high-leverage guys in Game 4:
Brewers October hero Aaron Ashby pitched 2 ⅓ innings. Dominant Abner Uribe tossed two innings. Lefty DL Hall went 1 ⅓ innings. And swingman Dustin May opened up with three innings. Closer Trevor Megill only got one out, so he’s good to go – yet it’s clear Ashby has supplanted him atop the Brewers’ relief trust tree.
The Rays are similarly diminished: Closer Bryan Baker pitched two innings for the first time since 2024. Game 1 starter Nick Martinez came back on three days’ rest to toss two innings. Set-up man Tyler Wells got five outs. Kevin Kelly pitched for the third time in this Series.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said the club will “huddle” to determine a pitching plan. Like the Brewers, they face a brutal decision involving an ace accustomed to extra race.
In Game 5, they’d be asking Drew Rasmussen to be starting on short rest. Absolutely not what you want – especially for a right-hander who’s endured three major arm surgeries.
But the options are thin.
“We're going to need everybody. We're going to need to be all hands on deck,” says Cash in his postgame press conference.
So imagine Freddy Peralta, on just a days’ rest, giving them an inning. Martinez on back-to-back nights? Might be a little crazy. You know Baker and Wells will be down for the cause, and lower-leverage lefties Steven Matz and Garrett Cleavinger will have to steal some outs.
Yeah, that’s the wounded animal the Brewers are facing. All the more reason the 6-7 Misiorowski must be a menace.
That hasn’t been the case every time out this October. He’s allowed 18 baserunners in 13 ⅓ innings and was chased after getting just 12 and 13 outs in his first two starts. World Series Game 1 Misiorowski will do.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy certainly hopes to see that guy.
“You can write it up and hope that they perform like the back of their baseball card, but that doesn't always happen. You go with what you believe is the deal,” says Murphy in naming Misiorowski his starter.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jonny DeLuca and pinch-hitter Ben Williamson singled home runs in a stunning 12th-inning rally, and the Tampa Bay Rays staved off World Series elimination with a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night that forced Game 5.
Cooper Pratt hit a tiebreaking home run off Ian Seymour in the top of the 12th for his fourth hit of the game as Milwaukee neared a sweep and its first World Series title.
But the Rays, also seeking their first championship, rallied in the bottom half after a throwing error by third baseman Joey Ortiz on Junior Caminero’s leadoff grounder against reliever Antonio Senzatela.
Liam Hicks singled off Shane Drohan, who relieved in his first appearance since Oct. 15, and DeLuca’s single to center drove in pinch-runner Cedric Mullins to tie the score at 3.
Chandler Simpson’s single loaded the bases and Milwaukee employed a five-man infield with the infield in.
Williamson, who had been 1 for 15 in the postseason, hit a chopper over first baseman Jake Bauers and into right field.
Game 5 will be Wednesday night at Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay became just the fifth of 26 teams that fell behind 3-0 in the World Series to win Game 4. The previous four lost Game 5.
Of 43 teams to trail 3-0 in any best-of-seven postseason matchup, the only one that rebounded to win was the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.
Tampa Bay ended an eight-game winning streak by the Brewers, who were bidding to become only the second team to sweep a League Championship Series and the World Series.
David Hamilton also homered for the Brewers. Jackson Chourio had a single and double, improving to 10 for 20 in the Series.
Pratt, a 22-year-old rookie whose go-ahead hit sparked the Brewers to a 5-4 win in Game 2, drove a slider into the left-field seats against Seymour. Pratt had tied the score at 1 with an RBI double in the second.
Milwaukee players bounded out of the dugout to greet Pratt, who debuted in June and became the first rookie to hit an extra-inning homer in the World Series.
Seymour had allowed Frelick’s tying homer in Game 2.
Milwaukee fans in the crowd of 40,514, many waving yellow towels and some wearing cheeseheads, brought a Badger State feel to Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay returned to its white home jerseys, a day after playing in Devil Rays throwbacks.
Simpson hit an RBI double off starter Dustin May in the second, but Milwaukee tied the score in the fourth against Griffin Jax when Frelick hit a two-out single and came around on Pratt’s double.
Caminero singled leading off the bottom half to chase May and advanced on a groundout. DeLuca hit a hard grounder to Hamilton and Caminero twisted toward the grass to avoid the third baseman’s tag, then came home when Hamilton bounced his throw past Bauers for an error.
Hamilton, Milwaukee’s No. 9 hitter, drove an 0-2 fastball at the letters from Jax into the right-field seats for his second home run of the postseason — half his regular-season total and just his second since June 6.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 27: Members of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrate after Ben Williamson #15 of the Tampa Bay Rays hits a walk off single in the 12th inning to defeat the Milwaukee Brewers during Game Four of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
In 2011, Dan Shaughnessy famously counted the Rays out when they were down 7-0 to New York in Game 162 while the Boston/Baltimore game was in a rain delay. Shortly thereafter, the magic happened propelling the Rays into the postseason. It took 12 innings and 4 hours and 15 minutes of baseball for the magic to happen as the Rays avoided being swept with a 4-3 comeback win.
Griffin Jax got the Rays through four innings, but the lift was a lot harder than the line score looked. Jax had nine batted ball events with exit velocity of at least 96 MPH and expected batting averages of at least .770, but early on, only an opposite field line drive single by Jackson Chourio with one out in the 3rd inning safely found the synthetic surface. That changed in the 4th when a two-out single by Sal Frelich, which was 104.4 off the bat, was quickly followed by a 98.9 MPH double by Cooper Pratt to tie up the game. The Brewers put nine balls in play off Jax and only a Brice Turang groundout had an exit velocity below 96.0 MPH. Their offense, overall, made outstanding contact despite the low-scoring affair:
By the bottom of the 4th, the Rays did something they could not do in Game 3, and that was plate a second run. It was more a bad process-good outcome type of play though as Junior Caminero should not have been moving on contact to the left side from second base, yet somehow avoided the tag and being called out the baseline to score on an errant throw by David Hamilton to get a hustling DeLuca. DeLuca would be eliminated on a fielder’s choice groundout by Chandler Simpson, who himself would soon be eliminated after getting picked off by JoJo Romero.
That 2-1 lead lasted all of three pitches when Jax’s final pitch of the evening came in at a game-low 93.4 MPH and Hamilton yanked that 0-2 pitch into the stands to tie the game and make up for his throwing error:
The pen was once again asked to get 15 outs, which has not gone well in previous events this series, this month, and this season. Kevin Kelly got the first three while stranding a two-out walk to Christian Yelich in front of William Contreras. Jax’s outing overall was effective by the measures, but not the overall outcome. The PitcherList report card even says as much, and the results went from B+ to C+ with that last swing by Hamilton:
Nick Martinez came in of relief for Kevin Kelly and had a similar path of stranding a two-out baserunner. Martinez would go on to work two innings in relief before handing it off to Bryan Baker in the 8th. A well-rested Baker looked sharp with his changeups and threw a 95.7 MPH fastball to jam Brice Turang to record the final out of the 8th. The 9th inning was eventful with Pratt reaching base for a third time and attempted a steal of second base with Andrew Vaughn at the plate with two outs, but Pratt was nullified by a hairline tag by Palacios after receiving a perfectly placed throw from Liam Hicks. Tyler Wells came on in the 10th with a 1-2-3 inning while he and Cam Booser combined to the the Rays through 11 innings. Martinez, Kelly, Baker, Wells, and Booser did all they could to keep the Rays in this contest, but the offense once again, offered little support. Ian Seymour came in for the 12th inning and allowed the go-ahead home run to Cooper Pratt while stranding Jackson Chourio at second base to give the Rays one last chance in this contest. Seymour has now allowed 4 post-season home runs, but he did limit the damage in the 12th to give the team one final chance.
The Rays looked like they might mount a rally in the bottom of the 6th after a leadoff single by Yandy Diaz, but that was followed by a 108.1 MPH liner right to Brice Turang allowing him to double off Diaz at first. Aranda’s rocket had an .890 expected batting average, and the double play changed the complexion of the entire inning. Instead of Caminero coming to the plate with two on, he came up with the bases empty. He quickly got ahead 2-0, then chased a slider out of the zone, before Dan Bellino once again decided a Rays hitter fully swung despite questionable supporting media:
That was the last serious offensive threat mounted by the Rays over the first nine innings as they failed to get a runner to second base in any of the final three innings. In fact, neither team had a runner reach second base after the Hamilton home run in the 5th inning until Jorge Mateo stole second base in the 11th inning. Mateo would be stranded after Jonathan Aranda flew out to right field. Milwaukee went into the bottom of the 12th with a lead but had exhausted their best relievers to get to this point and left the ball in the hands of Anthony Senzatela to bring home the franchise’s first ever World Series.
Caminero started off the inning and reached on a throwing erorr by defensive wizard Joey Ortiz. Pat Murphy opted to bring in Florida native Shane Drohan for the first time in this series to force Liam Hicks to hit against a lefty or have a cold Nick Fortes step in for this game. Drohan allowed 14 regular season home runs, all to righties, but Kevin Cash opted to leave in Hicks and not bring in the righty Fortes. Hicks would single through the left side setting up first and third with nobody out. The extra base was costly though as Caminero left the game limping, but was also noticably limping after reaching first on the throwing error. The drawn-in infield allowed for a Johnny DeLuca groundball to sneak through the middle to tie the game at three. Simpson then came up with the job of bunting over the two baserunners but did not execute a bunt with two strikes but rather hit a two-strike single back through the middle to load the bases with nobody out. Ben Williamson was brought in to pinch hit for Victor Mesa Jr with nobody out and Milwaukee implementing a five-man infield to prevent another ball to sneak through the infield. The suspense would last one pitch as Williamson would hit the fourth consecutive single of the inning to plate Cedric Mullins with the winning run.
Both managers were forced to use young left-handed relievers in key moment because of how long the game went. Seymour has struggled throughout the month of October while Shane Drohan saw things snowball on him with four consective singles from Hicks, DeLuca, Simpson, and Williamson to allow the Rays to out-Brewer the Brewers for the first time in this series. The final inning of this game was the first time since the first inning of game two where the Rays had multiple positive events putting a crazy bow on a game which was extremely well-pitched through 11 innings.
Later today is a new day, and the Rays have a few hours to figure out how to piecemeal a pitching plan for Game 5. They will need to come up with an approach to limit the hard contact the Brewers made in this contest as they had 12 of the 13 hardest hit balls of the game:
If anything, it was refreshing to see the team hang around and come back just a night after getting embarrassed in front of the home town fans and national audience. Let’s hope the image of Junior Caminero limping off in the 12th inning was a Willis Reed moment and not him being too hurt to play in Game 5.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 27: Jonny DeLuca #21 of the Tampa Bay Rays hits an RBI Single during the twelfth inning against Shane Drohan #55 of the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 27, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Despite a 12th-inning home run from Cooper Pratt, Shane Drohan and the Brewers couldn’t hold off the Rays in the bottom half. The Rays won 4-3 on a walk-off single by Ben Williamson, cutting Milwaukee’s series lead to 3-1 and sending the World Series to Game 5.
Milwaukee immediately threatened, putting runners on the corners in the top of the first thanks to two walks by Rays starter Griffin Jax and a throwing error by catcher Liam Hicks. Brice Turang had a chance to give the Brewers an early lead, but he grounded out to short to strand both runners.
Tampa Bay couldn’t get anything going against Dustin May in the bottom half of the frame, as he capped off a 1-2-3 first by striking out Junior Caminero looking. The second inning went less smoothly. Hicks led off with a single, and Jonny DeLuca followed with a grounder to Turang at second that nearly became a double play, but the speedy DeLuca beat the relay to first.
That brought up Chandler Simpson, who took a strike, fouled off a couple more pitches, then laced a double down the right-field line to score DeLuca from first.
Chandler Simpson breaks the ice in Game 4!
He brings home Jonny DeLuca for the game's first run as Tampa looks to avoid elimination 👀
With Simpson, one of the fastest players in the game, standing on second, the inning looked like it might snowball, but May bore down. He got Ryan Vilade to ground out to second, then got Richie Palacios to wave at a high fastball for the third out.
Simpson’s double gave the Rays a quick lead, but they wouldn’t hold it for long. With two outs in the fourth, Sal Frelick grounded a single through the right side, and Cooper Pratt followed with a double down the left-field line and into the corner. Frelick scored without a throw (though he slid headfirst anyway) to tie the game 1-1.
After a wild pitch from Jax moved Pratt to third, Garrett Mitchell had a chance to give the Brewers the lead, but he chased a high fastball for strike three.
Dustin May allowed a leadoff single to Caminero to start the bottom of the fourth, at which point Pat Murphy went to lefty JoJo Romero to face the left-handed Hicks. Hicks grounded out but moved Caminero to second. Jonny DeLuca then hit a grounder to third baseman David Hamilton, who tried to tag Caminero, but Caminero swerved onto the infield grass to avoid him. Hamilton nearly fell lunging for the tag, then threw the ball away trying to get DeLuca at first, and Caminero scored to give the Rays a 2-1 lead.
Junior Caminero avoids the tag and scores on the errant throw!
Tampa takes the lead in a back-and-forth contest 👀
Whether a runner left the base path isn’t reviewable, so Milwaukee instead challenged whether Hamilton had tagged Caminero… and lost. Luckily for the Brewers, Romero escaped without further damage, getting Chandler Simpson to ground into a force-out for the second out, then picking him off first for the third.
Hamilton, due up first in the top of the fifth, immediately made up for his error: crushing a home run into the right field stands to tie the game back up.
And then, after runs in three straight half-innings, the game slowly settled back into a stalemate. Abner Uribe kept the Rays scoreless through the fifth and sixth innings, with some help from a beautiful play by Turang at second:
Meanwhile, Tampa Bay brought out Game 1 starter Nick Martinez to pitch the sixth and seventh innings, and he delivered with two scoreless frames before Bryan Baker pitched a scoreless top of the eighth.
DL Hall relieved Uribe and pitched a shutout seventh, then got two quick outs in the bottom of the eighth. With with the right-handed Diaz coming up, Pat Murphy went to his closer, Trevor Megill, who delivered with a strikeout to send the tie to the ninth inning.
With one out in the top of the ninth, Pratt grounded a single through the left side to put the go-ahead run on base. Mitchell then lofted a high fly ball to right field that didn’t quite have the legs to leave the ballpark, and Chandler Simpson ran it down with a leaping catch up against the wall.
With two outs and Pratt still on first, Murphy called on Andrew Vaughn to pinch-hit for Hamilton. Vaughn took a strike on the first pitch, and Pratt took off for second on the next one. He slid in ahead of the throw and was initially ruled safe, but Rays manager Kevin Cash challenged the call. Replays showed second baseman Richie Palacios’ tag may have grazed the back of Pratt’s hand as he slid in, and although none of the angles seemed conclusive, the call was overturned, ending the inning.
Brewers-Rays Game Is Being Held Up Due To This Review.
Instead of Megill, Aaron Ashby came out for the ninth and retired the heart of the Rays’ order — Jonathan Aranda, Caminero, and Hicks — in order to send the game to extra innings.
n the top of the tenth, Tyler Wells replaced Baker and retired the side in order, although Jake Bauers made things interesting with a seven-pitch at-bat before striking out. Ashby again set down the Rays in order in the bottom half, finishing the inning off it with a strikeout of Victor Mesa Jr.
Wells got Christian Yelich to pop up to third and William Contreras to fly out to open the eleventh. With lefties Turang and Frelick due up, Cash went to his bullpen for Cam Booser, who gave up four hits and four earned runs without recording an out in last night’s game. Booser walked Turang on four pitches, the last coming after time was called and the grounds crew came out to repack the mound.
Up next was Frelick, who quickly fell behind 0-2 before time was called again, this time because Booser was having issues with his PitchCom device. Frelick took ball one, then fouled a pitch off his knee as Turang took off for second. Turang went again on the next pitch, which bounced in the dirt, but Frelick couldn’t check his swing, sending the game to the bottom of the eleventh.
Ashby came out for a third inning and kept rolling, striking out Palacios on five pitches. But with Ashby at 31 pitches, Murphy pulled him in favor of Antonio Senzatela. Senzatela struck out Taylor Walls for the second out, then lost the strike zone against Díaz, walking him on four pitches to put the winning run on base. Jorge Mateo came in to run for Díaz.
Aranda quickly fell behind two strikes, and Mateo took off for second on the third pitch of the at-bat. Senzatela pitched out, but Contreras didn’t transfer the ball cleanly and didn’t attempt a throw. With the winning run now in scoring position, Aranda flew out to Frelick to end the eleventh.
Cooper Pratt, who was already 3-for-4 on the night, led off the bottom of the twelfth. Pratt worked the count to 2-2, then demolished a sweeper up in the zone for a go-ahead home run. No moment is too big for this kid:
Despite a Jackson Chourio double with two outs, the Brewers weren’t able to add to their lead any further. With only Kyle Harrison, Shane Drohan, and Brandon Woodruff left in the bullpen, Senzatela came back out for the top of the twelfth with a one-run lead.
Junior Caminero led off with a soft ground ball to third, but Joey Ortiz, who’d come in to play third after Vaughn’s pinch-hit at-bat, bounced the throw to first, and Bauers couldn’t dig it out. Caminero pulled up limping, but stayed in the game.
With the left-handed Hicks coming up, Murphy went to Drohan for his first appearance of the series. Hicks worked the count to 2-2, then grounded a single through the left side. Caminero got on his horse and made it to third without a throw, then limped off the field in favor of pinch-runner Cedric Mullins.
The next batter for the Rays was Jonny DeLuca, who grounded a single up the middle to score Mullins and give the Rays runners on first and second with nobody out and Chandler Simpson coming to the plate. Simpson smoked a line drive up the middle for a single, but Nick Fortes — who had come in for Hicks — stayed at third.
Ben Williamson, pinch-hitting for Mesa Jr., bounced the next pitch through the right side for a single to send this series to Game 5.
With Nick Martinez having pitched tonight, tomorrow’s pitching matchup is presumably Jacob Misiorowski against Drew Rasmussen. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.
The Rays, down to their final three outs, pulled off a zany 4-3, 12-inning comeback over the Brewers to stay alive.
The Rays are still in deep trouble, trailing the Brewers 3-games-to-1 in the best-of-seven series.
But, oh, they are alive.
The Brewers, leading 3-2 after 22-year-old rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt’s homer, opened the floodgates when third baseman Joey Ortiz, known for his defense, threw Junior Caminero’s routine ground ball by first baseman Jake Bauers. Then, the bullpen, which had pitched eight consecutive scoreless innings, melted down.
Catcher Liam Hicks slapped a single to left field off reliever Shane Drohan, with pinch-runner Cedric Mullins scampering to third base. Jonny DeLuca followed with a single up the middle past a drawn-in infield, tying the game. Chandler Simpson, after trying to bunt, then slapped a single to center, loading the bases.
And pinch-hitter Ben Williamson became the hero slapping ball to right field for the game-winner, with the majority of Brewers’ fans that filled Tropicana Field groaning.
It was the fourth game in World Series history that a team staved off elimination with an extra-inning victory.
“These are the two best teams left in baseball,” Game 4 starter Griffin Jax said. “Unfortunately, we haven’t been playing the cleanest baseball for the last three games. No secret there. You can tell by the three losses we have that we’ve been giving them a lot of extra chances, and you can’t do that against the Brewers. They’ve taken advantage of everything.
“There’s no rewriting the script. No changes in who we are."
But this time, they re-wrote the script.
They now are only the fifth team in World Series history who trailed 3-0 in a Series to even force a Game 5, which will be played Wednesday night, possibly with ace Drew Rasmussen on the mound.
“Obviously, we want to play well. Everybody in this clubhouse wants to play well,” Caminero said. “I don’t even think it’s been a matter of necessarily playing bad. I think a lot of credit goes to Milwaukee. They’ve just been playing exceptionally well.
“Earlier, I told (Brewers catcher William) Contreras, you know, you have my blessing. You know, I wish you the best in this series. But now, it’s kind of like, well you’ve played a little too well. Things are what they are now. Credit to Milwaukee. Things just haven’t unfolded our way necessarily.”
Well, up until this night, ruining the Brewers’ party.
There were a horde of Brewers’ fans that into town for the game, staying everywhere from Tampa to Clearwater to Sarasota, and seen everywhere from bars to restaurants to coffee shops, certainly made their presence known. They actually drank popular Ferg’s Sports Bar and Grill, located just outside Tropicana Field, dry.
Jake Ferguson, owner of the bar, said they actually had to call in an emergency shipment of beer after selling 1,000 cases of Miller Lite and Coors Lite in one day, the normal supply for an entire month.
Now, for at least a night, they’ll be drinking in their sorrows, while the wait for a World Series title continues for at least another day.
“That's a really talented group," said Rasmussen, who was beaten in Game 2. “In all honesty, they've outperformed us in all three facets of the game.
“I think they've pitched better than us. I think they've done better offensively. And I think they've played better defense than we have. It’s a really talented group. Their decision-making is off the charts.’’
But not this night.
It belonged to the Rays, in the unforeseen way imaginable.
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CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 17: Steven Kwan #38 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a Single during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game four of the American League Championship Series at Progressive Field on October 17, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s Tuesday here at BCB After Dark: the boppin’ home base for night owls, early risers, new parents and Cubs fans abroad. Come on in out of the fall air. There’s no cover charge. If you’ve got a coat, we can check that. There are still a couple tables available. The hostess will seat you now. Bring your own beverage.
BCB After Dark is the place for you to talk baseball, music, movies, or anything else you need to get off your chest, as long as it is within the rules of the site. The late-nighters are encouraged to get the party started, but everyone else is invited to join in as you wake up the next morning and into the afternoon.
Last night, I asked you if the Cubs should make a change to the pitching coaches. I think Tommy Hottovy and Casey Jacobson are glad you’re not running the team, because 42 percent said “yes” and 38 percent of you said “no.” The other twenty percent said it didn’t make a difference either way.
On Tuesday nights, I don’t do any movie stuff. But I always have time for jazz and that time is now.
So I sort of lied when I said there would be no movies tonight, because I do have a clip from the 1936 film Pennies from Heaven. The film starred Bing Crosby, but the clip we have here is Louis Armstrong and his band performing “Skeletons in the Closet.”
So here’s a good classic to get you in the holiday mood. There’s a little Bing Crosby in here too.
Welcome back to everyone who skips the music.
So I was going to wait until the World Series was over to post tonight, but I don’t think this Brewers/Rays game is never going to end. I guess it doesn’t make much difference because even with a Rays win, the Brewers are overwhelming favorites to win it all.
So I thought I’d ask you about a trade candidate. The Cubs are looking at losing both of their corner outfielders to free agency, so they need to pick someone up to play right and left field if Ian Happ and/or Seiya Suzuki don’t return. The problem is that there aren’t a lot of good free agent outfielders out there and the Cubs may prefer to stay away from making a major commitment to one anyways as Josiah Hartshorn and Kane Kepley are two of their best prospects and both may be knocking on the door for a major league job in 2028. Behind them are Caden Sorrell and Ethan Conrad, both of whom could also be good starting outfielders soon enough.
So maybe the trade market is the way to go. I found this article by Mark Feinsand on MLB dot com from last month and one name struck me as intriguing—the Guardians Steven Kwan. Kwan doesn’t have much power. He had 14 and 11 home runs in 2024 and 2025, but he managed just three home runs last year and a .349 slugging percentage. However, Kwan does a lot of other things well. He makes a ton of contact and gets on base. Last year he had a career-high on-base percentage of .382. His strikeout percentage last year was a ridiculously low eight percent. He’s an excellent defensive left fielder. He runs the bases OK, stealing ten bases in 13 attempts last year.
Looking at Kwan’s Statcast page, you can see it’s a matter of extremes.
Terrible bat speed, slugging and exit velocity. Elite launch angle, chase, whiff and walk rates. Elite defender.
So why would the Guardians want to trade Kwan? Simple. He’s a free agent after this upcoming season. With this upcoming season in doubt, it makes sense for Cleveland to get something for Kwan rather than lose him to free agency. For the Cubs, that works out as Kwan wouldn’t be blocking any of the Cubs outfield prospects.
It’s hard to say what it would take for the Cubs to trade for Kwan. They definitely want someone cheap with years of control. Would it be worth it for the Cubs to trade Matt Shaw for him? Shaw has been disappointing, but he’s still young and he still has room to grow. He’s also very versatile and that’s pretty valuable. But with the emergence of Pedro Ramírez, maybe the Cubs can afford to part with him more than a prospect like Harsthorn or Owen Ayers.
So if there was a proposed trade of Matt Shaw for Steven Kwan, who says no?
If you think Shaw is too much for Kwan, then propose your own deal in the comments.
Thank you for stopping by tonight. Let’s hope we have more baseball soon. Get home safely. If you checked anything, let us get it for you now. Tip your waitstaff. And join us again tomorrow night for more BCB After Dark.
Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt launched a solo homer to right field off Tampa Bay Rays reliever Ian Seymour to break the tie and give the Brewers a 3-2 lead in the top of the 12th inning.
Pratt's homer was his fourth hit in Game 4 of the World Series.
With the Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series, the beloved late broadcaster Bob Uecker is in everybody's thoughts around baseball as his beloved team fights for its first-ever championship.
The team's announcer for more than 50 years, Uecker died on Jan. 16, 2025.
Uecker became the Brewers' primary radio broadcaster in 1971 and gained fame outside the baseball world as an actor, notably in the "Major League" films.
Before broadcasting, Uecker played six seasons (1962-1967) in the majors with the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. He won a World Series title with the Brewers in 1964.
Uecker's family wrote a letter to players, fans and Brewers front office staff shared by the team on social media before the World Series
"Generations of Brewers fans have held hope in their hearts, season after season, that someday this city would have its chance at another championship," the letter reads. "That day has come.
"While we could never speak for him, this is certain: Milwaukee, the Brewers, and the fans meant everything to Bob. Wherever we gather – in a packed stadium, a neighborhood bar, or a living room with the radio turned all the way up – we know he's right here cheering alongside us."
The Brewers paid tribute to Uecker during the Game 4 "Stand Up To Cancer" interlude.
In 2025, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network, published a commemorative book about Bob Uecker, the popular broadcaster and cultural icon who died that January. “BOB UECKER: The Life and Career of the Milwaukee Brewers’ Legendary Broadcaster” proved to be so popular with fans that it went through several printings.
Just this fall, instead of another reprint, the Journal Sentinel added 32 new pages that tell the story of what happened in the 18 months after Uecker’s passing, from the tributes that poured in across baseball to the ways Brewer Nation keeps finding to say thank you.
“BOB UECKER” retails for $39.95 (plus shipping and handling). Order at jsonline.com/merch.
New York Mets broadcaster Ron Darling prepares to work a game between the Mets and the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, in New York. The Giants defeated the Mets 9-3 in ten innings.
For fans of SNY’s beloved Mets announcing trio, have no fear.
The band is coming back together in full.
After Ron Darling fueled some speculation that he could potentially leave the booth during an interview with The Post’s Mike Puma last week, the former Amazin’s All-Star confirmed Tuesday on SNY’s Mets podcast that he’s staying in the booth for 2027.
Ron Darling prepares to work a game between the Mets and the Giants at Citi Field on June 4, 2019 at Citi Field. Getty Images
“Hey, listen, I am so lucky to be working at SNY. It’s provided me an outlet to try to be really good at this. And as long as Gary [Cohen], Keith [Hernandez] and SNY still wants me, I’ll be here for as long as they do.”
When asked by The Post whether if he had plans to return to the broadcasting booth in 2027, Darling provided a bit of a cagey answer.
“That’s a good question that I can’t answer,” Darling said. “I have two more years [contractually] at TBS, and I think I have two more years at SNY. I’m at a point now where I’m kind of deciding from year to year. Even though they present me with these long-term contracts, if I reevaluate, they’re fine with that, so we’ll see.”
Nevertheless, Darling clarified on the SNY podcast that he will be back and he’s hoping to see one thing — a third Mets World Series championship.
“I’m in it for the same reason everyone else is in it: I want to see a championship season,” Darling said. “I’m jealous, in fact. [Brewers play-by-play announcer] Brian Anderson, who I work with at TNT, he took a picture of himself in the stands the other night yelling and screaming and going crazy just like a fan because his Brewers, of course, are doing so well.
“I would like one of those videos someday.”
Darling, a 1986 World Series champ, joined SNY during its inaugural season in 2006 and has been in the booth with Cohen and Hernandez ever since. He also works games nationally for TNT/TBS and is an analyst on MLB Network.
Miguel Rojas thanks the Dodgers for changing his life.
As the 2026 MLB season is nearing the end, so is Miguel Rojas’ time on the baseball diamond.
Rojas appeared as a guest during the Fox pregame show for Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday night and said his time with the Dodgers over the last four years “changed my life.”
Miguel Rojas thanks the Dodgers for giving him the best 4 years of his life:
“They changed my life, they gave me the opportunity to go back home where I made my debut in 2014… it’s not just for me, it’s for my family. My son, he was shagging fly balls in the outfield, he was… pic.twitter.com/evlZkBroa3
Miguel Rojas thanks Dodgers for changing his life. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
“They gave me the opportunity to go back home in LA where I made debut 12 years ago …where I had where I had the opportunity to live the best four years of my life in baseball,” Rojas said.
Rojas said on the broadcast that he will always cherish the moments the Dodgers organization did for his son son Aaron, like when his teammates would take him to the outfield to shag fly balls.
“He was living the dream for me, and for my daughter, just to be around them. That’s what I told the guys,” Rojas said. “Thank you for changing my life. And for being part of the best four years of my life.”
Rojas’ professional baseball career originally began in 2006 when he signed as an amateur free agent from Venezuela with the Cincinnati Reds. In 2012, he became a free agent and signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers.
Miguel Rojas hoisting the Dodgers World Series trophy alongside Freddie Freeman in a low rider.
His MLB Debut came in June 2014. He went on to play in 85 games with the Dodgers.
The next season, he was traded to the Marlins and would spend the next eight years with them.
His second stint with the Dodgers came in 2022 — one of the most important periods in the franchise’s history.
Rojas became a World Series hero in 2025 when he hit a solo home run in the ninth inning in Game 7 that propelled the team to winning their second consecutive World Series.
Rojas contemplated retirement after his heroics but decided to stick around for the 2026 season to help the Dodgers attempt a three-peat.
Miguel Rojas receiving a hug from Brewers manager Pat Murphy before Game 7 of the World Series on Tuesday. Getty Images
Jonny DeLuca and pinch-hitter Ben Williamson singled home runs in a stunning 12th-inning rally, and the Tampa Bay Rays staved off World Series elimination with a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night that forced Game 5.
Cooper Pratt hit a tiebreaking home run off Ian Seymour in the top of the 12th as Milwaukee neared a sweep and its first World Series title.
But the Rays, also seeking their first championship, rallied in the bottom half after a throwing error by third baseman Joey Ortiz on Junior Caminero’s leadoff grounder against reliever Antonio Senzatela.
Liam Hicks singled off Shane Drohan, who relieved in his first appearance since Oct. 15, and DeLuca’s single to center drove in pinch-runner Cedric Mullins to tie the score at 3.
Chandler Simpson’s single loaded the bases and Milwaukee employed a five-man infield with the infield in.
Williamson, who had been 1 for 15 in the postseason, hit a chopper over first baseman Jake Bauers and into right field.
“We’ve got a lot of fight in us. We’re never going to shy away,” Simpson said. “We were going to keep fighting until the end — the last inning, the last out, the last play, the last pitch. We were going to keep fighting. That’s what we did tonight.”
Game 5 in the best-of-seven matchup is Wednesday night at Tropicana Field, with NL Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski scheduled to start for the Brewers. Rays manager Kevin Cash said he hadn’t decided on a starter yet.
Tampa Bay became just the fifth of 26 teams that fell behind 3-0 in the World Series to win Game 4. The previous four lost Game 5.
Of 43 teams to trail 3-0 in any best-of-seven postseason matchup, the only one that rebounded to win was the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.
“It just shows the resiliency of this group,” Williamson said. “We continue to fight, and that’s been the motto this series and this full season, is just fight.”
Caminero was replaced by Mullins at third base and hobbled off the field with an ailing left foot. But the slugger said he’ll definitely play Wednesday night.
“He’ll play tomorrow on one leg. I’ll make sure of it,” Cash said.
Tampa Bay ended an eight-game winning streak by the Brewers, who were bidding to become only the second team to sweep a League Championship Series and the World Series.
“If you want to win a championship, you’ve got to survive some hard things,” Milwaukee captain Christian Yelich said. “Like I said earlier, it’s supposed to be hard. It’s supposed to test you. We understand that.”
David Hamilton also homered for the Brewers. Jackson Chourio had a single and double, improving to 10 for 20 in the Series.
Pratt, a 22-year-old rookie whose go-ahead hit sparked the Brewers to a 5-4 win in Game 2, drove a slider into the left-field seats against Seymour. Pratt had tied the score at 1 with an RBI double in the second.
Milwaukee players bounded out of the dugout to greet Pratt, who debuted in June and became the first rookie to hit an extra-inning homer in the World Series.
Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Cooper Pratt #12 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with teammate Garrett Mitchell #5 after hitting a solo home run in the 12th inning during Game Four of the 2026 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Seymour had allowed Frelick’s tying homer in Game 2.
Milwaukee fans in the crowd of 40,514, many waving yellow towels and some wearing cheeseheads, brought a Badger State feel to Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay returned to its white home jerseys, a day after playing in Devil Rays throwbacks.
Simpson hit an RBI double off starter Dustin May in the second, but Milwaukee tied the score in the fourth against Griffin Jax when Frelick hit a two-out single and came around on Pratt’s double.
Caminero singled leading off the bottom half to chase May and advanced on a groundout. DeLuca hit a hard grounder to Hamilton and Caminero twisted toward the grass to avoid the third baseman’s tag, then came home when Hamilton bounced his throw past Bauers for an error.
Hamilton, Milwaukee’s No. 9 hitter, drove an 0-2 fastball at the letters from Jax into the right-field seats for his second home run of the postseason — half his regular-season total and just his second since June 6.
Jonny DeLuca and pinch-hitter Ben Williamson singled home runs in a stunning 12th-inning rally, and the Tampa Bay Rays staved off World Series elimination with a 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday night that forced Game 5.
Cooper Pratt hit a tiebreaking home run off Ian Seymour in the top of the 12th as Milwaukee neared a sweep and its first World Series title.
But the Rays, also seeking their first championship, rallied in the bottom half after a throwing error by third baseman Joey Ortiz on Junior Caminero’s leadoff grounder against reliever Antonio Senzatela.
Liam Hicks singled off Shane Drohan, who relieved in his first appearance since Oct. 15, and DeLuca’s single to center drove in pinch-runner Cedric Mullins to tie the score at 3.
Chandler Simpson’s single loaded the bases and Milwaukee employed a five-man infield with the infield in.
Williamson, who had been 1 for 15 in the postseason, hit a chopper over first baseman Jake Bauers and into right field.
“We’ve got a lot of fight in us. We’re never going to shy away,” Simpson said. “We were going to keep fighting until the end — the last inning, the last out, the last play, the last pitch. We were going to keep fighting. That’s what we did tonight.”
Game 5 in the best-of-seven matchup is Wednesday night at Tropicana Field, with NL Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski scheduled to start for the Brewers. Rays manager Kevin Cash said he hadn’t decided on a starter yet.
Tampa Bay became just the fifth of 26 teams that fell behind 3-0 in the World Series to win Game 4. The previous four lost Game 5.
Of 43 teams to trail 3-0 in any best-of-seven postseason matchup, the only one that rebounded to win was the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series.
“It just shows the resiliency of this group,” Williamson said. “We continue to fight, and that’s been the motto this series and this full season, is just fight.”
Caminero was replaced by Mullins at third base and hobbled off the field with an ailing left foot. But the slugger said he’ll definitely play Wednesday night.
“He’ll play tomorrow on one leg. I’ll make sure of it,” Cash said.
Tampa Bay ended an eight-game winning streak by the Brewers, who were bidding to become only the second team to sweep a League Championship Series and the World Series.
“If you want to win a championship, you’ve got to survive some hard things,” Milwaukee captain Christian Yelich said. “Like I said earlier, it’s supposed to be hard. It’s supposed to test you. We understand that.”
David Hamilton also homered for the Brewers. Jackson Chourio had a single and double, improving to 10 for 20 in the Series.
Pratt, a 22-year-old rookie whose go-ahead hit sparked the Brewers to a 5-4 win in Game 2, drove a slider into the left-field seats against Seymour. Pratt had tied the score at 1 with an RBI double in the second.
Milwaukee players bounded out of the dugout to greet Pratt, who debuted in June and became the first rookie to hit an extra-inning homer in the World Series.
Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Cooper Pratt #12 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with teammate Garrett Mitchell #5 after hitting a solo home run in the 12th inning during Game Four of the 2026 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Seymour had allowed Frelick’s tying homer in Game 2.
Milwaukee fans in the crowd of 40,514, many waving yellow towels and some wearing cheeseheads, brought a Badger State feel to Tropicana Field.
Tampa Bay returned to its white home jerseys, a day after playing in Devil Rays throwbacks.
Simpson hit an RBI double off starter Dustin May in the second, but Milwaukee tied the score in the fourth against Griffin Jax when Frelick hit a two-out single and came around on Pratt’s double.
Caminero singled leading off the bottom half to chase May and advanced on a groundout. DeLuca hit a hard grounder to Hamilton and Caminero twisted toward the grass to avoid the third baseman’s tag, then came home when Hamilton bounced his throw past Bauers for an error.
Hamilton, Milwaukee’s No. 9 hitter, drove an 0-2 fastball at the letters from Jax into the right-field seats for his second home run of the postseason — half his regular-season total and just his second since June 6.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 26: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with William Contreras #24 after scoring in the fifth inning during Game Three of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We’re on the verge of baseball history, folks. Tonight, the Milwaukee Brewers could become World Series champions for the first time in the 58-year history of the franchise.
The Brewers, who had the best record in baseball during the regular season, have steamrolled their opponents in these playoffs. They’re 10-1 so far, taking three out of four from the Padres in the Division Series and sweeping the Dodgers in the NLCS, and are now on the verge of a second straight sweep and a ninth consecutive win. After squeaking past the Rays with a pair of one-run wins in Milwaukee, the Brewers delivered a beatdown in last night’s Game 3 in Tampa Bay. Their eight-run fifth inning — which featured seven consecutive two-out hits — allowed them to build an insurmountable lead and give all of their high-leverage relievers some much-needed rest.
I must say, the Brewers’ offensive approach is a joy to behold, and it’s almost unrecognizable to Orioles fans. Two-out hits! Hitting to the opposite field! Grinding out at-bats! Scoring 10 runs without any homers! Who knew that a team could succeed without just trying to pull the ball in the air all the time? Someone alert the O’s coaching staff.
Now the Brewers are in an enviable position. They have all of their best bullpen arms available to try to string together 27 outs tonight. And even if they can’t seal the deal today, they’ll have a fully rested Jacob Misiorowski ready for Game 5. Chances are good that they’ll win the championship without the series ever needing to head back to Milwaukee. It’ll be a shame if they don’t clinch in front of the home crowd, but considering how many Milwaukee fans were in the stands at Tropicana Field tonight, the Brewers will have no shortage of supporters on hand.
Starting for the Rays tonight is Griffin Jax, representing Tampa Bay’s last hope to stay alive in the series. No MLB team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a World Series, and it’s only happened once in any postseason series, the memorable 2004 Red Sox takedown of the Yankees in the ALCS. The Rays were the AL’s best team this year, but I’m not sure they have the juice for that kind of comeback.
Only once before have the Brewers been within a win of a championship. That came in 1982, their only previous World Series appearance, when they built a 3-2 series lead over the Cardinals before suffering a blowout loss in Game 6 and a heartbreaking defeat in Game 7. They’ve waited 44 long years to get back to the Fall Classic, and 57 years to win one. Will it happen tonight?
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 12: Jeremiah Estrada #56 of the San Diego Padres pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning at Petco Park on August 12, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to our series grading every member of the San Diego Padres’ 40-man roster. The roster being evaluated is current as of Oct. 18, prior to the end of the World Series. Because of that, it will include players who will be free agents once the postseason concludes. Each player will be graded on their performance in the 2026 season, including the playoffs. That performance will be weighted based on how much time the player spent with the team (availability is the best ability).
A Troubling Relief Campaign
Jeremiah Estrada never had a real shot at breaking into the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen. The Padres made that something that the Northsiders would live to regret when they claimed him off of waivers ahead of the 2024 season. Estrada had a dominant 2024 campaign, highlighted by a 2.95 ERA and an MLB-record 13 consecutive strikeouts. Since then, he’s been solid but uninspiring.
Overall Grade: C
It’s not that Estrada’s 2025 campaign (3.45 ERA, 73.0 IP) was particularly bad. The bigger problem was his breakout 2024 made it seem like the right-hander would be automatic from then on. He was somewhat unlucky in 2025, with a 2.76 expected ERA compared to his 3.45 ERA. However, he allowed a career-high 12 home runs, contributing to his high 3.55 Fielding Independent Percentage (BB, HR, SO and HBP).
The problem with Estrada’s 2026 season was his lack of availability. The righty had three separate stints on the injured list due to elbow tendinitis, knee inflammation and a shoulder impingement. That resulted in Estrada being able to toss just 31 innings for the Friars. He was solid during that time (3.48 ERA) but just wasn’t nearly as dominant as his former self.
Entering 2027, Estrada’s health will be closely monitored. He should be good to go come Spring Training, but San Diego will need to keep a close eye on his performance in the offseason and through Cactus League. Notably, Estrada’s .183 opponent batting average was a step forward. His bigger problem was in limiting free passes (16 walks). Regardless, Estrada will be a big factor in San Diego’s bullpen plans for 2027.
Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images
Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images
