Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Logan Henderson speaks ahead of Game 1 of the NLCS against the Dodgers last week. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
Milwaukee is going absolutely nuts. The Brewers have sold out Game 3 and Game 4 of the World Series.
The Tampa Bay Rays will host those games, but the Brewers invited fans to come to their stadium and watch on the big screen. The Brewers sold more than 31,000 tickets to each of their watch parties at $15 apiece. On Friday morning, StubHub offered them for resale, starting at $168.
There is nothing quite like a city uniting behind a team that never has won a World Series. Ask Logan Henderson.
Henderson, the Brewers’ starting pitcher Saturday in Milwaukee, grew up a huge fan of the Houston Astros. He was 15 when he attended his first World Series game.
“My parents had always said, if we were fortunate enough to be able to watch them go to the World Series, we’re going to do everything we can to get there,” Henderson said. “I was blessed that my parents got tickets to go to the games.
“There’s nothing like it. I’m on the other side of it now. I was a spectator and a fan, now I’m a player. It’s definitely surreal.”
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Logan Henderson follows through on a pitch during Game 2 of the NLCS against the Dodgers in Milwaukee on Oct. 12. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
“I went to the one before the crazy one,” he said. “L.A. ended up winning that game.”
In the crazy one, the Dodgers blew two four-run leads, tied the score with three runs in the ninth inning and lost in the 10th.
If we knew then what we know now, Game 4 would be the crazy one: Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood constantly changing his signs, suspicious that the Astros might be up to something, whatever that might be.
Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood delivers from the mound during Game 4 of the World Series against the Astros on Oct. 28, 2017, in Houston. (Pool / Getty Images)
Wood was vindicated three years later, when a league investigation revealed the Astros had been cheating in 2017, stealing signs from a television monitor next to the dugout and relaying them to batters by banging on trash cans. The practice, according to the report issued by commissioner Rob Manfred, was refined during the regular season and extended “throughout the postseason.”
The scandal outraged the Dodgers and their fans. The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to demand Manfred award the 2017 championship to the Dodgers. Their players wanted nothing to do with that. A real championship, after all, would come with champagne and beer in the clubhouse and a parade through the streets.
When the Astros’ team buses arrived at Dodger Stadium for games during the pandemic season of 2020, when ballparks were closed to the public, Dodgers fans gathered outside to boo.
Dodgers fans boo Jose Altuve of the Astros after he struck out in a game on Aug. 3, 2001, at Dodger Stadium. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times)
“That meant absolutely everything to the city. I hope that means what it did for me to the fans in Milwaukee here.”
The Rays also are trying to bring their first championship home to Tampa Bay. In 2017, hard as this might be to believe today, the mighty Dodgers had not won a championship in 29 years.
And now, as a major leaguer, Henderson has an acute appreciation of the little things that can mean the difference between victory and defeat, between a parade and another plaintive chorus of “wait ‘til next year.”
“I would rather face a player that was taking steroids than face a player that knew every pitch that was coming,” Wood tweeted after Manfred’s report on the Astros’ cheating.
Henderson knows how hard this is to do. The Brewers haven’t appeared in the World Series in 44 years, and owner Mark Attanasio said nervous fans already are wondering whether their next appearance will be 44 years away.
So I asked Henderson if, all these years later, the scandal changed how he felt about those Astros.
“Maybe a little bit,” Henderson said. “It’s unfortunate. I try not to think about it or talk on it too much. I think now, being in the game, my perspective on it is a little different.
“I think for the kid in me — and the huge baseball fan I was — that team will always have a special place in my heart.”
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 22: World Series signage is seen during a workout day prior to game on of the 2026 World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on October 22, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hey you!
Sitting there at your watch party, observing Nick Martinez induce yet another weak fly ball to Chandler Simpson while the Rays have jumped to a 2-0 lead in Game One of the World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Wouldn’t you like some random knowledge about the Rays and Brewers to throw out the revelers among your group to showcase how intelligent and fun you are. Imagine how impressed everyone will be when you shout out that the first trade between the Rays and Brewers was on March 24th, 2003 when Tampa Bay sent Javier Valentin to Milwaukee for outfielder Jason Conti. If you want to depress those around you, you could bring up that after Conti’s player career, he became a professional chef and started a restaurant where he tragically suffered a stroke and struck his head, dying from the injury a week later in 2025.
The Rays and Brewers have matched up for 17 transactions over the years with names like Aaron Civale, Willy Adames, Drew Rasmussen, Jesus Aguilar, Brad Miller, Ji-Man Choi, Mike Brosseau, Seth McClung,and Grant Balfour among the players dealt.
As for on-field matches, the Rays are 13-15 all-time against the Milwaukee Brewers. The first game between the two teams was held on June 13th, 2005 with Tampa Bay edging out Milwaukee, 5-3. Doug Waechter took the mound for Tampa Bay and allowed 3 runs over 8 innings of work, outdueling Chris Capuano. A notable footnote about that game was it featured the MLB debut of a Brewers top prospect, Prince Fielder; Fielder collected his first big league hit two days later.
The Brewers swept the Rays in the season series back in 2022, but the two sides have split all the games since then with each team winning six games against the other since the start of the 2023 season.
Tampa Bay’s top offensive player all-time against Milwaukee with at least 20 PA is current Rays speedster Chandler Simpson. The 25-year old has played six games against Milwaukee thus far in his career and is hitting .350/.409/.550 over 22 PA.
The best single-game team offensive performance against Milwaukee came during that first game mentioned above when the team hit .370/.371/.686. They notched 13 hits on the day, including five doubles and two homeruns (courtesy of Jonny Gomes and Travis Lee), but were only able to scratch across 5 runs.
The best individual offensive game in team history against the Brewers was provided by outfielder Josh Lowe. On May 21st, 2023, Josh Lowe went 3-4 with a game tying 3-run homerun and a stolen base, gving him a RE24 of 3.33, the highest of any player for the Rays against the Brewers in franchise history.
On the mound, the best start in team history against the Brewers was provided by the stalwart Alex Cobb back on July 29th, 2014. That summer night featured a pitching duel between Cobb and former Ray Matt Garza. Both pitchers had great games, but it was Cobb who prevailed. Overall, Cobb allowed 1 run on 3 hits, while striking out 12 . The game was tied at 1 entering the bottom of the 8th, the Rays scored four runs, sending all nine hitters in the lineup to the plate. Grant Balfour locked things down in the top of the 9th to record the save.
Over the course of MLB history, there have been 86 players to have played for both the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers. The best player in Rays history to have played for Milwaukee would be Willy Adames (7.5 bWAR) while the best player in Brewers history to play for the Rays would be Carlos Gomez (19.0 bWAR). There are plenty of notable players though to have donned the uniforms, including Greg Vaughn, Rickie Weeks, Jake Bauers, Julio Franco, Nelson Cruz, and Rays postseason hero Brett Phillips.
What history will be added the legacy of the Brewers-Rays rivalry this October?
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 03: Jazz Chisholm Jr. #13 of the New York Yankees looks on during batting practice before game one of the American League Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on October 03, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good afternoon everyone, it’s time to dive back into the mailbag and answer some of your questions. Remember to send in your questions for our bi-weekly call by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.
Craig Z. asks: It would seem a qualifying offer to Bednar is a given. The QO to Jazz also seems likely as Yankees will perceive he will reject it and, unlike the gamble with Grisham that was a huge miscalculation on Cashman’s part, Jazz will probably reject it. Your thoughts?
I don’t know if I’d agree with your second point, as reports have come out saying that the team is actually unlikely to offer the qualifying offer to Jazz Chisholm Jr. this offseason. The gamble over whether Chisholm would accept the deal or not mirroring what happened with Trent Grisham last year is probably informing their decision on that matter, as while I wouldn’t hate bringing Jazz back on a one-year deal the team seems to be angling towards allowing him to walk. Whereas Grisham was coming off of a career-best year, Chisholm had his worst season in pinstripes, but the argument could be made that Grisham knew the market was a lot more crowded with excellent choices while Chisholm is still one of the best options in a free agent field lacking a true superstar or even many stars to compete against.
With that in mind, it might be a more reasonable gamble to give Chisholm the QO and not lose him for nothing than it was with Grisham, but again the team clearly cares about their budget and potentially handing out over $45 million in 2027 salary between Bednar and Chisholm before free agency even opens might restrict them too much to make other moves. I’m not thrilled with the backup option to Chisholm being running Anthony Volpe at the keystone, but if it leads to improvements elsewhere on the roster I could see the logic in the move — and we’ll talk about where that upgrade is most needed in a moment. Ultimately, while I know Chisholm had a disappointing year for New York (and perhaps set himself up to with talk of having a 50-50 season during spring), I think it’s unlikely they field a better player at his position than him in 2027 and I think that makes the QO a worthwhile choice, but it looks like that won’t be the case.
Anton H. asks:With Ryan McMahon struggling to solve the Yankees’ third base problem as hoped, do you think the team will try to trade him this offseason, or is a DFA more likely? Given his $16 million salary for 2027, what teams, if any, could make a compelling case for acquiring him despite the financial commitment?
Now, here is where the resources need to be allocated to improve the position. Third base has been a black hole for damn near a decade at this point, with only small bursts of quality play like Gio Urshela’s 2019 run sparkling before being swallowed back up by the void. Ryan McMahon was never expected to be a quality hitter when the Yankees acquired him, but they were certainly expecting better than the 78 wRC+ he posted in 124 games. He was also expected to overcome his offensive capabilities by providing stellar defense, and while he lived up to that in 2025 his play at the hot corner sizzled out completely in 2026 leading to a frustrating experience where he really didn’t provide much of anything.
That’s not really a compelling case to bring towards any potential suitors, so while the team would surely love to trade him away for whatever they could get, it would require tacking on prospects to get even partial salary relief at the moment. Normally I’d say they’re better off just going the DFA route like they did with DJ LeMahieu and Aaron Hicks, but the team is also staring down the prospect of moving on from Giancarlo Stanton’s contract as well and I’m not sure that Hal Steinbrenner could stomach two deadweight contracts for players not even on the team anymore. Of the two, it would be easier to sell McMahon with a prospect attached than it would Stanton, who has a full no-trade clause and an extra year on his deal even if it is a team option. If push comes to shove the team is better off moving on from McMahon and DFA’ing him would suffice, but if they can find an angle to move him that doesn’t cost any of their blue chip prospects it wouldn’t be a bad move to make — they can’t all make it to the big leagues, and using prospect capital to improve the roster by subtraction is still an improvement. I trust the player development team to find enough talent to keep the pipeline greased up, and they didn’t offload too much in this year’s deadline.
jws85 asks:Assuming no additions during free agency, who would be the best leadoff hitter? Rice and Judge needs to be 2-4. Lombard, Bellinger, or Volpe could be options. Wells, García, Stanton, and Jones makes no sense.
If you’re forcing me to keep Ben Rice and Aaron Judge somewhere in the 2-4 range then I’d set my sights on George Lombard Jr. earning the leadoff role, as the rookie showed solid results at the plate during his whirlwind debut in the second half and throughout the postseason. The defensive misplays were atypical of his performance down in the minors, but the bat showed some promise and the only other candidate I see would be Volpe, who has already had his chance to be a leadoff hitter to no avail. However, what I would rather do in this scenario is just have Rice hit leadoff, bat Judge second and have Bellinger flanking him with Lombard or Jones at cleanup and García hitting fifth. Rice proved that he’s a capable enough table-setter, and without an ideal OBP-driven player in the lineup as is you might as well give your best hitters the earliest chances to get up to bat.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 12: Miguel Sime Jr. #55 of the Washington Nationals looks on prior to the 2026 All-Star Futures Game Presented by Nike at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday, July 12, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Nats had a lot of prospects take meaningful strides in 2026, but the one I want to talk about today is Miguel Sime. When the Nats took Sime in the 4th round of the 2025 draft, he was a raw but electric prospect with a massive fastball, but not much else. There is still rawness in his game, but Sime took big steps in the right direction this year.
The development of Sime’s slider is the biggest story of this season. Heading into the year, Sime had a curveball and changeup to go with his triple digit heater. Both pitches had promise, but neither were refined yet. In the offseason and during Spring Training, Sime worked hard to find a slider grip that worked for him. He talked about this in an interview last month.
⚾️ Changed his SL grip 5 throwing sessions into the spring based on the tech of the edgetronic cameras and spin axis balls they started using this year. Found inefficiency.
Once he found the right grip, the pitch came naturally to him. The slider became Sime’s go to weapon, even throwing it more than his fastball at times. Sime’s slider has deceptive downward movement that makes it difficult to pick up. Hitters often think the slider is coming and by the time they realize their mistake it is too late.
The development of the slider gives Sime two elite pitches. His body type, pitch mix, velocity and control woes remind me a lot of Jarlin Susana. Like Susana, Sime generates a ton of swing and misses. For the season, his strikeout rate was 41.3%, or 16.18 K/9. Even as he got aggressively assigned to High-A, that strikeout rate remained around 40%.
miguel sime jr. since getting called up to A+: 2.15 ERA (11 ER/46.0 IP) 14.87 K/9 (3rd highest in @MiLB in that span, min 40.0 IP) pic.twitter.com/J81EbB3q58
— Nationals Player Development (@Nats_PlayerDev) August 29, 2026
That mid-season promotion told me a lot about how much the Nats believe in Sime as both a pitcher and competitor. They easily could have left him in Low-A to develop for the rest of the year. However, the organization wanted to challenge him and Sime responded well.
His numbers were actually much better despite facing better opposition. In Low-A, Sime struck out over 45% of hitters, but posted a 4.44 ERA due to a 21% walk rate and some bad luck. Once he got to Wilmington, Sime posted a 2.15 ERA with 76 strikeouts in 46 innings. His walk rate was still an alarming 19.9%, but it did not matter because opponents hit under .150 against him.
Obviously, control is the biggest thing Sime needs to work on. We knew his control was not pinpoint heading into pro ball, and we saw that play out. However, his stuff might be even better than expected. Sime’s fastball shape is very good and as mentioned, the slider has become a lethal weapon. At the Futures Game, Sime’s raw stuff might have been the best of any pitcher.
The pitcher with the best stuff from the Futures Game was none other than the Washington Nationals' Miguel Sime Jr. Once he figures out the command, the ceiling is endless. pic.twitter.com/AIVr4OwMUj
Between the Futures Game outing and his Spring Breakout appearance, the stuff models loved his pitches when there was Statcast data. He has velocity, movement, deception and several different nasty offerings. At 19 years old, there is still plenty of time for the control to come around.
However, that lack of present control does give him a lot of relief risk. If I had to bet right now, I do think the bullpen is Sime’s ultimate home. That is no sure thing though, and the Nats will and should give him every opportunity to prove he can start. With how young he is, we have plenty of time.
Despite his youth, there is a chance that Sime starts next season in AA as a teenager. He showed that his stuff can overwhelm High-A hitters. While he has walk problems, they have not mattered that much yet. In Double-A, those control issues are likely to hurt him more and force him to adapt.
Overall, Sime is a high upside arm with triple digit velocity and a nasty slider. His huge physical presence gives him an intimidating look on the mound. All of these things scream future closer, but his ultimate home is still to be determined.
If the control trends in the right direction, Sime could be one of the top pitching prospects in baseball. Even with shaky control, he has loud enough stuff to make him a fairly safe bet to pitch in the big leagues for a long time. Sime’s first year in pro ball was a resounding success. Now I am excited to see what he can do in year two.
MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 12: A general view of American Family Field during sunset of Game Two of the National League Championship Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, October 12, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The World Series begins tonight.
Normally, when the Dodgers aren’t involved, I generally ignore the proceedings, reveling in the de facto time off before being absorbed by the many tasks I launch into during every off-season. With this year’s offseason likely to be much longer due to the own goal that is the impending lockout, I have embraced something I generally disdain: procrastination.
The baseball hipsters are drinking their figurative oat drink lattes and living well by reveling in the pending matchup between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays. The list of teams that have never won a title should decrease to four.
As both stadiums are domed, if there are weather delays, something weird has happened. The play on the field should entertain, as the venues themselves are not that picturesque. Still, if you want more information, updated with recent travel, we shall oblige.
Before this year, the last time the Brewers made the World Series, I was gestating in utero (October 1982 vs. January 1983). I know folks in Milwaukee losing their figurative minds about something some started to take for granted in Los Angeles.
I’d tease about their enthusiasm, but unalloyed joy is a good thing. After all, how much of a moron do you have to be to do something to catch my attention by screwing up when everyone is either literally waiting or celebrating?
Timeless…well, Mostly Timeless Tickets
11 years ago, the Milwaukee Brewers sold their Timeless Ticket. For $1,000, one would get a personalized brass ticket that was good for one use only to “any future Brewers home game at American Family Field. Whether it’s this season, the year 2050, or the 7th game of the World Series, all are valid games to redeem a Timeless Ticket.”
Only 1000 tickets were produced, and they allowed for redemption “subject to ticket availability at the time of redemption.”
The Brewers lay out the procedures for redemption, which allow for one ticket and the option to purchase three additional tickets at full regular retail price.
In the fine print, the Timeless Ticket cannot be used for any hypothetical All-Star Game in Milwaukee or any MLB game at American Family Field where the Brewers aren’t playing. On its face, if you suddenly were reminded of Forever Stamps from the U.S. Postal Service, that’s by design, per Darren Rovell of ESPN:
In late October, the team announced it would sell 1,000 “Timeless Tickets” for $1,000 each. They come in 1-pound bronze tickets with the owners’ names engraved on them.
…[A]s the offer went online for the first time, the team announced that it would add another nine timeless tickets to each deal, which would be redeemable for any regular-season game in the team’s future, except for Opening Day games.
The original bronze ticket is good for any single game, including say, a World Series home game at Miller Park, or whatever stadium the Brewers happen to be playing in should they return to the Fall Classic. The team’s only appearance came in 1982.
The idea is the brainchild of Brewers chief operating officer Rick Schlesinger.
“I was at the post office and got caught up with the idea of forever stamps,” Schlesinger said. “So I wondered what we could do to offer our fans something where we could give them the promise of being able to go to any game.”
In theory, speaking from personal experience, it’s a banger of a deal and a heck of a gimmick. I have certainly spent more money on more frivolous Dodgers-related purchases.
Fast forward eleven years, and one would think the Brewers have a public relations layup just waiting for the positive press. “Grandpa bought a Timeless Ticket, and now in his twilight years he gets to see his beloved Brew Crew play for a title after beating those crumbum Dodgers. Also, he bought three additional tickets at full price for his family.”
The positive copy writes itself. Considering how much goodwill there is in Cream City right now, you’d have to be an absolutely incompetent moron to blow it now.
When folks tried to redeem their Timeless Tickets this time, they were presented with the option of Terrance Level seats (Upper Deck) or Standing Room Only. Speaking from personal experience with the venue: ouch. For a Dodger Stadium equivalent, imagine buying a one-time pass that should allow you in the best available seat, including Field Level or the Loge, and instead you have to settle for a seat in the rafters of the Upper Deck.
Back in 2018, Timeless Ticket holders had the option to try to redeem their Timeless Tickets for a potential World Series berth. Some fans were able to secure seats behind home plate at field level. Cody Bellinger and Yasiel Puig had other ideas, making these reservations moot.
It turns out that the Timeless Ticket holders’ position in the queue was bumped at some point. Rather than selecting seating after the season ticket holders, the holders were placed behind the general public, seeing seating options that they could not select.
“Back in 2015, that was a big selling point from the sales people about this,” [Danny] Fochesato said. “They really touted, ‘Hey, this is going to be the best available seats. You’re getting the priority just behind season-ticket holders. Anything the season-ticket holders don’t have, you’ll have dibs at it for the World Series.’ That’s kind of the story they sold.”…
“We had a form, and it only had 400-level or standing-room options,” Fochesato said. “We couldn’t even know what game we had. We just had to put a preference of which ones we wanted, and then we had to submit the form and just sit and wait for them what we got. I immediately was like, ‘No, that’s bogus.'”
Going from “any game, best available ticket” to “hope and pray for the game you want.” We have a word for that situation, but it is unprintable in this generally family-friendly publication. So we will instead use the time-honored substitute of “malarakey,” with indications of another word: “fraud.”
Rather than have to analyze and explain Wisconsin contract law or write about impending lawsuits (I will leave our cousins at Brew Crew Ball to handle that story if it ever comes), the Brewers acknowledged that they screwed up.
Brewers president of business operations Rick Schlesinger said Tuesday that several hundred fans had indicated they wanted to redeem their Timeless Tickets for a World Series game. Schlesinger acknowledged that “we subsequently erred in our internal communications on the logistics of fulfilling the requests.”
“While we were able to accommodate all with seats, we received feedback from some that they were unhappy with their seat locations,” Schlesinger said. “Clearly, even with extraordinary limitations on available seats, we did not live up to the spirit of the program, and we have been working through a resolution.”
Schlesinger said any Timeless Ticket holder who applied for World Series tickets before the deadline will now get to keep those World Series tickets while also being able to retain their Timeless Ticket to redeem for another game in any future season.
“We regret our mistake and look forward to welcoming them to American Family Field for their World Series experience,” Schlesinger said.
[Emphasis added.]
To be a fly on the wall of the Brewers’ Legal Counsel’s office over the past week…Whether these patrons are satisfied is another question entirely. This situation is right out of a law school textbook. But you might think, well, they still get to go; why throw a stink at all?
If I pay for something and you don’t give it, there’s a problem. Or if you change the deal, it better be in a movie, or you’re going to have a problem on your hands.
In short, the Brewers went full Michael Scott; you never go full Michael Scott.
Having to be publicly shamed to do the right thing by their most loyal fans — that’s a move right out of monetizing Dodgers Fan Fest to the gills. If there is a moral here, it is: do not overpromise and then underdeliver.
Sticker shock
World Series ticket sticker shock is emanating from both Milwaukee and Tampa. Direct sales are long gone, leaving the secondary market as supply and demand go into overdrive.
The get-in price for tonight’s Game 1 in Milwaukee is north of $2,000, and the get-in price for Game 3 in Tampa is north of $700. Some Milwaukee fans are likely finding it cheaper to go to Tampa, in which case, welcome to the brotherhood of traveling fans. It’s neat.
No one should have to make what is essentially a rent payment to sit in the upper deck of any game. I am mindful that ticket prices are like real estate: it all comes down to location, location, location.
I understand that sitting at the Loge at Dodger Stadium should cost more than the upper deck. But should that cost equal a small used car (about $2,500 to $3,000, based on current listings on the secondary market)?
I have often decried the “Dodger tax” that I have to pay when I go see the Dodgers on the road. The truth is that it is often significantly cheaper for me to go see the Dodgers elsewhere than in the confines of Our Blue Heaven unless I am willing to entirely abandon a decent view of the game.
It is okay to pay for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But no one should have to go into debt to enjoy something that they love.
My reaction now: I was being naive, or, if one requires a meme:
It’s not that I don’t have sympathy; it’s that some fans are caught in the gears of a system designed both to pay the players and line the owners’ pockets, especially if the series goes beyond the minimum length.
MLB sets the baseline purchase price for playoff and World Series tickets, which serve as the basis for creating the playoff prize pool that gets split amongst all of the participating players, with the World Series winners getting the largest share.
Spending what I spent to go see regular-season games in Tokyo is one thing, and frankly should not be repeated unless I was living in Japan. But the World Series is different. Last year, I spent around $3,000 USD on the secondary market just for the ticket for Game 7 in Toronto. Remember, I’m not bona fide; I have to pay my own freight. All things considered, I got a heck of a seat for the price.
I could have spent less for a seat farther away from the action, but when it matters, you pay the extra expense to see your team in action. Maybe you see history, maybe you don’t, but at the end of the day, seeing your team on that final stage is what matters. Everything else is silence.
Good luck to the Brewers and Rays in what should be an entertaining and exciting series.
It’s been a wild 2026 ride to the Fall Classic. Cubs fans were treated to the first 40-40 season in franchise history. They were also treated to one of the biggest rollercoaster rides in the 150-year history of the team as the Cubs won 10 games in a row twice while also losing 10 games in a row. Ultimately, that inconsistency hit the Cubs at the wrong time as they were swept out of the Wild Card round by the Padres. As some astute commenters noted during the Championship Series previews, there really aren’t a lot of guys on either the Brewers or Rays rosters who have experience on the North Side of Chicago. It’s basically Trevor Megill and a whole lot of guys we’ve never seen in the Cubs system. With that in mind let’s take a closer look at the small market matchup set to begin in Milwaukee tonight.
Brewers vs. Rays: One ring to rule them all
For the first time since 1980 the World Series features two teams who have never won a ring. That means regardless of whether fortune favors the Brewers or the Rays some fanbase is going to experience the ecstasy of a championship for the first time. It’s understandable that a lot of Cubs fans have a soft spot for the Rays in this matchup given our collective frustration at finishing second to the Brewers year, after year, after year, after year:
Look, I’m sure I’ll find some reason to roll my eyes and cheer against the Brewers by the time this World Series is over, but right now I’m just excited for great baseball. If great baseball determines that the Brewers finally win a World Series, I think I’m okay with it. Jake Bauers considering retirement but returning to baseball for the healthcare coverage only to do this is great stuff, regardless of your primary team allegiances [VIDEO].
And don’t get me wrong, there should be some great baseball. As I discussed yesterday in looking at the small market nature of the 2026 World Series, these two teams are perennial success stories in MLB. The Brewers have eight Postseason appearances in the last decade and the Rays have six, these are two of the more successful teams in baseball who are only missing a championship ring.
On the pitching side the Brewers have likely NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob Misiorowski in Game 1 facing off against the Rays Nick Martinez. In Game 2 the Brewers will send Logan Henderson to the mound against Rays ace Drew Rasmussen. While Game 3 starters have yet to be named, it seems likely that would be former Brewer, and ALCS MVP, Freddy Peralta for the Rays and Robert Gasser for the Brewers. Peralta has been excellent this postseason [VIDEO]:
And then it’s a question of bullpens. Both teams have solid bullpens with a clear eye towards who their high leverage guys are in a pinch. That means the Brewers should expect to see a lot of Bryan Baker, Kevin Kelly, Tyler Wells, Cam Booser, and Ian Seymour, while the Rays will likely see Megill, JoJo Romero, Dustin May, DL Hall, Aaron Ashby and Abner Uribe. One wildcard to keep an eye on is the addition of Brewers starter Brandon Woodruff to the World Series Roster:
Brandon Woodruff is on the Brewers World Series roster! He's been sidelined since July 4 with right shoulder inflammation. pic.twitter.com/betTyjgy8b
On the hitting side of the equation, the hottest bats in the Brewers lineup during the League Championship Series against the Dodgers were MVP Bauers and second baseman Brice Turang, catcher William Contreras and outfielder Garrett Mitchell [VIDEO].
The Rays bats were a bit quieter during their series against the Guardians, but look for slugger Junior Caminero to show up on baseball’s biggest stage with his speedy sidekick, Chandler Simpson who hits for average and runs like Pete Crow-Armstrong. I’m personally looking to see how Yandy Díaz performs. Yandy is one of the most underrated hitters in baseball this side of Seiya Suzuki and he’s a big reason the Rays will be in the World Series [VIDEO].
With both teams looking for their first franchise championship, tickets to games in Milwaukee and Tampa Bay are going for prices not seen since the Cubs and Cleveland faced off in 2016. It does not seem like those prices are coming down as game time approaches. The cheapest tickets to get into American Family Field for Game 1 are hovering around $2,900 for an obstructed view seat:
Whether fans can afford to join the action in person, watch with friends at their favorite neighborhood tavern or follow from the comfort of their couch, the vibes around a team’s first World Series win are priceless. Who are you cheering for as action kicks off in Milwaukee tonight?
The Dodgers know they have an aging roster. They know they have to incorporate younger players into their lineup before too many of their cornerstones become too old to remain competitive.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman smiles during a workout ahead of Game 3 of baseball’s National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, in Los Angeles. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong
The team is too good to blow up, but also too old to keep together and expect next season to end any differently than this one.
The Dodgers were the oldest team in baseball this year, and they could be even older next year. Depending on when next season starts – owners are expected to lock out the players on Dec. 1 and the work stoppage could extend into the season – the Dodgers could field an opening-day lineup in which every one of their players outside of Tucker and Pages are 32 or older.
Freeman will be 37, Muncy 36, Betts and Hernández 34.
So much for a youth movement.
On the surface, this might seem like an easily-solvable equation.
The Dodgers’ farm system has a number of high-level prospects, headed by 21-year–old outfielder Josue De Paula, who was called up to the major leagues in September and made the playoff roster as a pinch hitter.
In practice, the situation is more complicated.
The Dodgers could address their long-term concerns by replacing their aging players with prospects, but they can’t do that without compromising their short-term goal of returning to the World Series.
“We’ve talked about the challenge of a team with our expectations, of how to phase in young players,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “It’s really difficult because you can’t phase in three guys (and) expect them to hit the ground running.”
There are no guarantees with prospects.
As talented as De Paula is as a hitter, what if the Dodgers open a place for him in their outfield by Hernández only to learn his defensive shortcomings outweigh his offensive production?
Eduardo Quintero, Mike Sirota and James Tibbs III have shown great promise in the minor leagues, but that doesn’t always translate to success in the major leagues. Who remembers Gavin Lux?
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Josue De Paula celebrates his RBI double against the San Francisco Giants during the sixth inning of a baseball game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for CA Post
Then again, if the Dodgers wait too long to offer these players chances to break into the team, they could find themselves a couple of years with more rookies in their lineup than they would like. The contracts of Freeman, Muncy, Hernández and Tyler Glasnow aren’t guaranteed beyond the upcoming season.
While the Dodgers season ended with them being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series, they were still the second-best team in the major leagues.
They won’t revamp their roster for the sake of revamping it.
“If we started the season tomorrow,” Friedman said, “we feel really good about the roster and team that we have.”
The last major overhaul of the Dodgers transformed them from a team built around Corey Seager, Justin Turner and Cody Bellinger to one with Ohtani, Freeman and Betts as their centerpieces. The process didn’t happen overnight.
Before the 2020 season, the Boston Red Sox were looking to move Betts, who was in his walk year. The Dodgers pounced, picking up Betts in a bargain and signing him to a 12-year extension.
Following the 2021 season, the Dodgers lost Seager, who signed with the Texas Rangers as a free agent. They found a left-handed-hitting replacement for him in Freeman, who was out of contract with the Atlanta Braves.
The next winter was marked by the departures of Turner and Bellinger. Ohtani signed with the Dodgers a year later.
Andrew Friedman, President of baseball operations for the Los Angeles Dodgers, speaks to the media prior to Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Getty Images
The upcoming transition won’t be as seamless, particularly with the free-agent market being barren of elite hitters.
The Dodgers don’t have as much financial flexibility as they had back then, as they now have a number of long-term contracts on their books. Anticipated changes in the collective-bargaining agreement can lead to greater restrictions on how much they can spend on players.
Their best way out of this predicament would be to trade for players in the primes of their careers – say, Elly De La Cruz of Cincinnati Reds, or CJ Abrams or James Wood of the Washington Nationals. Players like that would inject youth into the lineup but wouldn’t require on-the-job training.
Of course, the cost for a player such as De La Cruz or Abrams would be prohibitive. Whether their teams would even be open to trading them will almost certainly depend on the details on the next labor agreement.
The Dodgers won’t really know what they’re dealing with until the next CBA is ratified. Their roster makeover will have to wait until then.
They can do so with the knowledge they still have one of the better teams in baseball – but also with the fear of that not being enough to satisfy their demanding fan base.
Cubs fans celebrate a win during the World Series at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, United States on November 2, 2016. (Photo by Emily Molli/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Everything in the world is different than it was in 2016 — sometimes I am paid to say the obvious. Ten years ago we saw multiple curses end, billy goats and black cats forever exorcised, as Kris Bryant threw to Anthony Rizzo and the Cubs had finally won it all. Bryant was the MVP of the National League that year, a seven and a half win season in his sophomore campaign. Anthony Rizzo was just 26 and finished fourth in that MVP race, Addison Russell was 22 manning shortstop and he also received votes for the league’s top individual honor.
That Cubs team is known for their collection of home grown bats, but the pitching staff was talented in its own right, albeit a little more mercenary. Jake Arrieta wasn’t quite the Cy Young winner he was the year before but the Cubs had four three-win starters in their rotation, and while Kyle Hendricks was the only one under the age of 30, the combination of a very good rotation, elite homegrown (read: cheap) position players, and a big market with the capacity to spend…surely the North Side would see more than one pennant from that group.
And well.
Ten years on the Cubs did make the playoffs five times, with two division titles, but that’s mostly it. Anthony Rizzo’s career effectively ended when Fernando Tatis Jr.‘s hip slammed into his head, Kris Bryant has become one of the great baseball tragedies of our era, and Russell abused his wife and is playing in the Mexican League. The Cubs are a playoff team again, and flags fly forever — especially ones tied to 108 year old poles — but you kind of have to think that proto-dynasty left something on the table.
A year later, the Yankees themselves seemed on the edge of a dynasty. Aaron Judge should have been MVP, Luis Severino was one of the three best pitchers in the AL, Greg Bird wasn’t just locking down first base, he was creating playoff memories, and Gary Sánchez seemed to be a foundational piece of a winning team for a decade to come. That decade’s nearly come and gone, Aaron Judge has lived up to that potential, but as for the rest of what seemed like an ascendant group…let’s put it this way, Sánchez might well win a World Series before Judge does.
The Yankees haven’t had a losing season in my lifetime. The seasons when they do miss the playoffs stand out like scars, for the entire time I’ve been aware of the concept of baseball, the team’s pretty much been in the so-called window of contention. They could have won the World Series this year, they could have last year, could have the year before, and on and on.
The Red Sox got their ring, like the Cubs, before doing the unthinkable and dealing away one of the best players in franchise history over money. They’ve remained a playoff team, even knocking the Yankees out of the postseason in the so-called Baby Bombers era.
The World Series starts tonight, with two teams built on the cheap, that came out of their respective leagues as the top seeds. The Brewers have been in the so-called championship window for two seasons now, the Rays seem to enter and swiftly exist theirs nearly year to year. The Cubs and Red Sox had to learn sometimes you only get one, no matter how sustainable things look. The Yankees haven’t even gotten one, and stare down an uncertain 2027 with an aging roster.
The window’s never as open as you think it is. Gotta climb through now.
LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 02: Members of the Boston Red Sox celebrate after the Boston Red Sox defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, August 2, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Nicole Vasquez/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Every season has a couple of different high-water marks. The first is obvious and mathematical; and for the 2026 Red Sox, it came on September 7th after a win against the Angels. That victory pushed the team a season high 15 games over .500, and to an 80-65 record.
But a more indelible high-water mark came about five weeks earlier near the end of the team’s astounding 32-5 midsummer heater. Here, the Red Sox had just swept the Dodgers, moved to within five games of the division and American League leading Rays, had the trade deadline to improve even more in the next 24 hours, and were surrounded by delightful rumors suggesting that both Roman Anthony and Garrett Crochet might return for a stretch run healthier than they actually did.
For me, this is somewhere around the moment where my “I think the Red Sox can win the World Series” meter peaked in my head. (The only other competition was after Opening Day before everything went haywire.)
It’s not just that the Sox swept the mighty Dodgers, it’s all the other tidbits surrounding it. The LA sweep came at the end of the second west coast road trip in a month, where they went a combined 15-1. Furthermore, they had now swept the Dodgers, Yankees, Rays and White Sox in the last five weeks, all of which were in first place when the sweeps started. This meant the Sox were now 13-0 since June 25th against a lineup of teams they were likely to see on their path to a championship.
Within these games, things were even crazier. Ceddanne Rafaela launched four home runs over the weekend in the Hollywood spotlight, and bumped his OPS over .800 as the calendar flipped to August.
If he could do this now, what might the Sox lineup look in a few weeks if they traded for Adley Rutschman (rumors were swirling), got Roman Anthony back, and got Willson Contreras healthier? Surely they wouldn’t be the worst offense in baseball in the month of September, right? ….. RIGHT?!?
Speaking of Contreras, he didn’t have a hit in this series against the Dodgers. Instead, he was hit in head early in Game 1, which caused him to leave and miss Game 2, and then when he returned for Game 3 before an off day (probably against everybody’s better judgement), he went 0-5 with two strikeouts despite the four guys surrounding him in the lineup reaching base a combined ten times. The point is that while Contreras was the team’s best hitter all year, they essentially put up 20 runs in three games against the Dodgers without him.
And while it was obvious they certainly didn’t run into the true teeth of the Dodger rotation for most of this series, they did beat Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the middle game, who despite going eight innings, only stuck out three Red Sox all night.
The winning pitchers in this Dodger series were Brayan Bello, Justin Slaten, and Jake Bennett, and five different players had at least one RBI in both the first and last game, which is all a great window into how everything the Sox touched was turning into gold at this stage of the season. The future was unknown, and ultimately, that’s what made the peak of the summer so magical.
We didn’t know Ceddanne Rafaela was going to cool off to the tune of a .520 OPS after August 17th. We didn’t know Adley Rutschman was going to post an OPS under .700 after joining the Sox the following day. We didn’t know the Roman Anthony we were about to get back was a guy who had only improved enough to play hurt down the stretch. We didn’t know Garrett Crochet wouldn’t pitch again in the regular season. And we didn’t know just how fleeting the magic of the summer would be once the team took its foot off the gas in late August.
Instead, in this moment, in a place made for dreams, a World Series run seemed as close as ever. Unfortunately, as the team prepared to go home and turned east towards the California desert in the direction of Fenway Park, those dreams turned out to be nothing more than a mirage.
DENVER, COLORADO - JUNE 30: John Brebbia #60 of the Colorado Rockies pitches in the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at Coors Field on June 30, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to the 2026 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2026. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
No. 36, John Brebbia (-0.1 rWAR)
Veteran reliever John Brebbia had a strange and winding journey in 2026.
The 36 year old had spent parts of the previous eight seasons in the Major Leagues after having been a Rule 5 Draftee for the St. Louis Cardinals. For the first six seasons of his career, Brebbia was a quality arm out of the pen for the Cardinals and San Francisco Giants.
In 2024, the wheels started to fall off.
Over the course of two seasons, in stints for four different teams, the once reliable right-hander saw ERA balloon from 3.99 in 2023 to 5.86 in 2024 and finally 7.71 in 2025.
At the time, Brebbia thought it was “a good fit” given his personal experience with Denver and his familiarity with Rockies assistant pitching coach Gabe Ribas and director of pitching Matt Daniels, both of whom he had previously worked with as a member of the Detroit Tigers.
In his first four outings, the right-hander threw five scoreless innings while only allowing a single hit and collecting seven strikeouts. It looked like perhaps the veteran had been able to find the form that had led him to early career success.
However, his chances of making the team plummeted in his fifth and sixth spring appearances for the Rockies in which he allowed seven runs over three innings.
Just four days later, Brebbia was cut from the roster and granted his release in an attempt to catch on with another team. Ultimately, the journeyman would end up signing another minor league deal with the Minnesota Twins.
Brebbia spent the first two months of the season pitching for the Twins triple-A affiliate, the St. Paul Saints, for whom he amassed a 6.20 ERA over 20.1 innings.
The Twins released Brebbia on May 20. After finding himself once again on the lookout for a place to pitch, Brebbia re-signed with the Rockies and appeared in his first game for the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes on May 31.
For the Isotopes, Brebbia genuinely excelled.
After not allowing a run across seven outings for Albuquerque, the Rockies called Brebbia up to the Major League roster on June 21.
The Rockies announced today the following transactions: – Selected the contract of RHP John Brebbia (#60) from Triple-A Albuquerque. – Placed RHP Blas Castaño on the 15-day IL, retroactive to June 18 (right pectoral strain). – Designated LHP Sammy Peralta for assignment.
— Rockies Club Information (@RockiesClubInfo) June 21, 2026
His regular season stint with the Rockies mirrored his time with them in spring training.
In his first two outings for the big league team, Brebbia threw three scoreless innings and allowed only two hits. Once again, it seemed like perhaps the Rockies pitching coaches had possibly managed to help the veteran look more like his early career self.
Those monster home runs moved his 2026 Major League ERA from 0.00 to 10.38, which is where it remained for the rest of the season because he was designated for assignment the next day.
Brebbia would go on to make another six appearances for the Isotopes before finishing off the season with the Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate the Worcester Red Sox.
All told, Brebbia managed to pitch four and a third Major League innings in 2026 with a 10.38 ERA, a 1.62 WHIP, and two strikeouts.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 22: Nick Martinez #28 of the Tampa Bay Rays participates in workouts prior to game one of the 2026 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at American Family Field on October 22, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The World Series begins tonight with the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays each looking for their first championship. The Rays have gotten close with two pennants before – they fell to the Phillies in five games in 2008 and in six games to the Dodgers in 2020. Because of their roster churn, the only player from that pennant-winning club six year ago that is still on the team is Yandy Díaz.
The Brewers have only gotten this far once before, way back in 1982 when the mustachioed Rollie Fingers was closing games for ‘Harvey’s Wallbangers.” They were a group of boppers that smashed 216 home runs (a lot in the dead ball 80s!) and featured two future Hall of Famers in the lineup – Robin Yount and Paul Molitor.
The matchup of small market clubs may not be what TV executives are looking for, but no one should have any sympathy for TV executives! Besides, MLB and its TV partners will be fine. Although World Series TV ratings have been slipping for years as people have more options (including distractions on their phones), it is still one of the most-watched events on TV.
Here are four reasons why Royals fans should tune in to this year’s World Series.
Small market solidarity
The Rays play in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area, a mid-sized market, but their antiquated stadium in a poor location has depressed attendance. The Brewers play in Milwaukee, the smallest market in Major League Baseball. The two teams ranked among the bottom ten in player payroll, each spending less than what the Royals did on talent this season.
Their success story may undermine the argument put forth by owners that baseball needs a salary cap to increase competitiveness, although on the other hand *hand waves at all the Dodgers dominance the last few years*. But it is fun to root for the underdogs, the teams that don’t have the lavish resources the coastal clubs enjoy. The Rays and Brewers got here through smart player development, shrewd trades, good coaching, and players making the most of their opportunities. Royals fans can be forgiven for being a bit jealous.
Local connections and old friends
The Brewers feature two Kansas City kids on their pitching staff. Jacob Misiorowski graduated from Grain Valley High School, and later Crowder College in nearby Neosho, before the Brewers selected him in the second round of the 2022 draft. He now features the most electric fastball in baseball that allowed him to post a 1.80 ERA that was the lowest in baseball, and he is the odds-on favorite to win the Cy Young.
Jacob Misiorowski started the game with 21 consecutive fastballs. ⛽️
Aaron Ashby went to Park Hill High School in Kansas City before attending Crowder. His uncle Andy was also a Park Hill and Crowder grad that spent 14 years pitching in the big leagues. Aaron led the Brewers in games pitched with 75 and is one of the most valuable relievers in baseball as a groundball pitcher who gets a 50 percent whiff rate on his breaking balls.
The Rays have lefty reliever Garrett Cleavinger, who pitched for Lawrence High School as a “Chesty Lion” before going to Oregon. Cleavinger made 60+ relief appearances in the last two seasons before regressing this year with some injuries. Cleavinger did not make an appearance in the ALDS, and was left off the ALCS roster, but is back on the World Series roster.
Neither World Series roster includes any former Royals, but a few old friends made appearances with each team. The Brewers had pitcher Angel Zerpa, who missed most of the season with an injury, and outfielder Blake Perkins, who once played in the Royals’ farm system. The Rays had pitchers Jonathan Heasley and Aaron Brooks – who was on the Royals pennant-winning teams in 2014 and 2015. Royals reliever Craig Kimbrel also pitched briefly for the Rays this year.
Small ball is back, baby
The Brewers finished second in all of baseball in runs scored, while the Rays finished twelfth. But neither has taken the “grip it and rip it” approach that has dominated much of the game. Each team hit fewer home runs than the Royals. Instead, they tied for tops in baseball in batting average. They are both in the top five in on-base percentag. They are both top five in hitting the ball on the ground, and they are the top two teams in hitting the ball to the opposite field. Milwaukee is the best team in baseball at drawing walks. Tampa Bay is the best team in baseball at not striking out.
They also like to run on the bases – both teams are top five in baseball in stolen bases. A total of 12 players on both teams stole ten bases or more this year. They were also the top two teams in most sacrifice hit attempts and two of the most successful teams in productive outs. They find ways to score runs, which can be a huge plus when you’re facing dominant pitching staffs in the postseason.
This success has been interpreted by some as a refutation of analytics. However, these are actually two of the most analytical teams in the game!
Three teams left, and all three have bigger-than-average analytics staffs.
Brewers: 46 (2nd in MLB) Rays: 39 Guardians: 30 League average: 28.5
The Phillies have the biggest staff in baseball, and they're already home. Like payroll, it's one input. Everything else combined… pic.twitter.com/EbV5BXkpnr
They are also two teams that invest in scouting more than most teams in baseball. And that just shows smart teams use all information to make their decisions. And if the data says zig where other teams have zagged, that’s what these teams do, with great success.
A battle of the best teams
The World Series just hits differently when it is the actual top two teams that make it through the postseason gauntlet. The Brewers won 103 games, most in club history. The Rays won 98 games, five more than any other American League team. In the Wild Card era, this is just the sixth time the teams with the top record in each league have met in the World Series.
1995 Braves (90-54) over Indians (100-44)
1999 – Yankees (98-64) over Braves (103-59)
2013 – Red Sox (97-65) over Cardinals (97-65)
2020 – Dodgers (43-17) over Rays (40-20)
2024 – Dodgers (98-64) over Yankees (94-68)
And their records are no accident. These are balanced, deep teams built for a championship run.
The Brewers have been one of the biggest spenders in the Latin American free agent market, and it has paid off with star hitter Jackson Chourio. Chourio hit a walk-off single in the NLDS against the Padres and led off Game 3 against the Dodgers with a home run. He is a power/speed threat, becoming the first player in Major League history to achieve three 20-homer, 20-steal seasons before turning 23 years old. William Contreras, who was acquired in shrewd three-way trade from the Braves in 2022, has a patient eye and has been a steady presence at the plate. First baseman Jake Bauers has had a late career renaissance after trying to retire two years ago, smacking 26 home runs this year and helping the Brewers to lead the league in offensive production at first base.
Misiorowski paces the pitching staff, but the Brewers have relied heavily on their bullpen in the postseason. Brewers relievers had the second-lowest ERA in baseball at 3.51 with the highest strikeout rate in baseball. Milwaukee also gets some help for this series with the return of veteran pitcher Brandon Woodruff, who has been out since early July with a shoulder injury.
The Rays are led by MVP candidate Junior Caminero, who has one of the highest hard-hit rates in baseball. His 42 home runs were tied for the fourth-most in the game. The Rays also get pop from Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda, each of whom hit 20 home runs this year. Chandler Simpson provides the speed, leading all of baseball in steals (46) and infield hits (42).
Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen, a former Brewers pitcher, has been one of the top arms in the American League this year, leading the league in strikeout-to-walk ratio. Nick Martinez won 15 games and has the lowest walk rate among qualified pitchers. Closer Bryan Baker has been lights out with 41 saves, tied for the most in baseball.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff throws during team workouts at the World Series.
Brandon Woodruff made it to the World Series.
The Brewers pitcher, shelved with what was believed to be a season-ending shoulder injury in July, was named to Milwaukee’s 26-man roster ahead of Game 1 against the Rays on Friday.
The 33-year-old is the longest-tenure member of the Brewers and was set to have surgery to repair a capsule in his right shoulder — the same shoulder that caused him to miss all of 2024.
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff throws during team workouts at the World Series. Tannen Maury/UPI/Shutterstock
In August, he announced he’d healed fast enough to not need the procedure and began throwing.
On Tuesday, his fastball hit the low 90s in a simulated game.
“I’ve probably made (the team’s) decision a little bit harder, which is a good problem for them,” Woodruff said Thursday. “I’m lucky, I’m blessed, we got a chance to win the World Series, and regardless of what happens, I will be just as excited to win if I’m on the roster or not.”
His inclusion is a bit of a gambit for Milwaukee, as he may not be able to be replaced on the roster due to rules regarding non-chronic injuries.
“We’d love to do it,” manager Pat Murphy told reporters Thursday. “But we have responsibility to those 20-some guys in there and to the organization and to the city and to whoever else we’re responsible to.”
In the end, they did it, and will now have their two-time All-Star back in action — potentially as a starter, per The Athletic.
Woodruff went 2-2 in nine starts on the season, posting a 2.98 ERA to go with 47 strikeouts and 10 walks over 45 1/3 innings.
With Woodruff on the World Series roster, the Brewers left right-hander Chad Patrick off after he didn’t pitch in the NLCS sweep of the Dodgers.
If the first World Series game in Milwaukee in 44 years wasn't enough to get the American Family Field crowd in a frenzy, the Brewers are calling on two club icons to throw out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 1.
Former Brewers owner Bud Selig, who was instrumental in bringing the franchise to Milwaukee in 1970, and Hall of Famer Robin Yount, considered the greatest player in team history, highlighted the first pitch ceremony.
When his efforts to bring an expansion franchise to Milwaukee for the 1969 season fell short, Selig didn't have to wait long for another opportunity to bring a major league team to the city. In 1970, the Seattle Pilots went bankrupt after one season, Selig purchased the team and moved it to Milwaukee. Selig, and later his daughter Wendy Selig-Prieb when Bud was MLB commissioner, owned the team until 2005 when it was purchased by current owner Mark Attanasio.
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 07: Atlanta center fielder Michael Harris II (23) makes a leaping catch against the wall during the NLDS game 4 between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves on October 7th, 2026 at Truist Park in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Yesterday, we took a look at some of the hard-luck moments that the Atlanta Braves had at the plate during the 2026 regular season. Turnabout is fair play, so now it’s time to look at some of the top moments where the Braves stole some outs out there in the field when the play probably should’ve resulted in a hit.
If you were brave enough to venture through the minefield that was the unlucky plays highlighted in yesterday’s article, then you can consider today a walk through Gold-Glove paradise. Let’s get into it.
T-No. 10 – July 27 at Mets, P: Martín Pérez, H: Luis Torrens, Result: Line Out, .900 xBA
I could’ve just left this at 10 plays overall but there was a tie for 10th place and it involved the Braves robbing the Mets, so I’m including it because schadenfreude is fun, sometimes. This was just a very hard-hit ball from Luis Torrens that ended up finding Jim Jarvis’s leather. Jarvis has proven himself to be a plus-defender so far and this was a lovely example of how he could get up in the air in order to rob a hit from an opposing batter.
T-No. 10 – August 7 at Yankees, P: Tyler Mahle, H: Spencer Jones, Result: Fly Out, .900 xBA
Mauricio Dubón proved himself to be a nearly indispensable member of Atlanta’s defense in any given game, mostly due to the fact that he could play nearly any position on the field — and play it well, in fact. Dubón had his fair share of fantastic moments in the field during the 2026 season and this was truly one of his best moments, as he managed to make a spectacular catch at the wall in order to rob Spencer Jones of what surely would’ve been extra bases.
No. 9 – May 28 at Red Sox, P: Reynaldo López, H: Carlos Narváez, Result: Line Out, .903 xBA
There’s that man again. This may not look super spectacular at first glance but when you consider just how cramped of a space that left field is at Fenway Park, it’s really impressive that Dubón was able to be Johnny-on-the-spot and make the catch without having to play it on a hop or let it get past him. Good stuff!
No. 8 – June 4 vs. Blue Jays, P: Chris Sale, H: Ernie Clement, Result: Line Out, .906 xBA
You knew that Money Mike was going to pop up on this list eventually. Michael Harris II has continued to be one of the defensive stalwarts of the Braves right now and he’s only getting better and better — as evidenced by the fact that he received a Gold Glove finalist nomination for 2026. He probably won’t win it because Pete Crow-Armstrong is going to be busy racking up hardware this offseason but it does feel like some trophies might be heading Harris’s way in the future if he keeps this up.
No. 7 – August 22 at Brewers, P: Brent Suter, H: Brice Turang, Result: Line Out, .917 xBA
Yeah, this was just a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Jim Jarvis made another leaping catch but to be honest, it’s better to describe this as a “hop” rather than a “leap.” Either way, shout-out to Jim Jarvis being in the right position here.
No. 6 – June 27 at Giants, P: Bryce Elder, H: Drew Gilbert, Result: Line Out, .920 xBA
Another one that looks a lot easier than it actually was. I’d imagine that this one was probably pretty tough to track considering the transition from shadow-to-sun but fortunately, Money Mike did a good job of staying with it (the eyewear probably helped out a ton here) and he was able to make the play look easy in the end.
T-No. 4 – July 29 at Mets, P: AJ Smith-Shawver, H: Bo Bichette, Result: Line Out, .940 xBA
Eli White is a very fast runner and he had to cover a ton of ground in order to get to this one before it finally reached the ground. The bloop from Bo Bichette hung just long enough for White to get under it and scoop it for the out. As evidenced by the xBA, there are plenty of scenarios where that ball hits the grass. This wasn’t one of them.
T-No. 4 – June 10 at White Sox, P: Chris Sale, H: Derek Hill, Result: Line Out, .940 xBA
Playing the role of Jim Jarvis for this entry in the list is Jorge Mateo. This time, it was Mateo’s turn to make a jumping catch at short in order to keep the ball from heading into the outfield for a base hit. Again, it’s good to be in the right position and it’s even better to have the hops in order to make a play like this on a ball that usually gets up and over for a hit.
T-No. 2 – June 17 vs. Giants, P: JR Ritchie, H: Drew Gilbert, Result: Fly Out, .957 xBA
Yaz didn’t have a particularly great season as an outfielder during his first season in a Braves uniform but he certainly had his moments. This was one of them, as he made a very nifty sliding catch and showed plenty of effort in a game where the Braves were inexplicably getting bopped by a team that Yaz spent a lot of time playing for. Either way, it’s a great effort and it led to a spectacular catch. Well done!
T-No. 2 – June 5 vs. Pirates, P: Dylan Lee, H: Jared Triolo, Result: Line Out, .957 xBA
Spoiler alert: Michael Harris II is going to top this list, as he ended up making the two biggest plays on here. The next one is a bit more spectacular and fitting of being the top play on this list but that shouldn’t take away from the effort on display here. Harris had to cover a lot of ground to get to a ball that was quickly making its way towards the grass. Money Mike got there just in time in order to make the robbery and keep a good night going for the Braves.
No. 1 – September 8 vs. Rays, P: AJ Smith-Shawver, H: Chandler Simpson, Result: Line Out, .960 xBA
If the previous banger of a catch from Money Mike wasn’t enough for you, then here’s another one. It’s more spectacular at that, as Harris made a sliding catch to rob his childhood pal of a hit. The Rays were robbing the Braves left-and-right during this series so it’s only fitting that the Braves came away from this with something. In fact, the catch that Money Mike made here ended up being the biggest robbery of the season for Atlanta according to xBA of a batted ball. Again, it’s not particularly shocking that two of these came from Michael Harris II, right?
BONUS: The “Ah, Dangit” Award: September 20 at Astros, P: Martín Pérez, H: Jose Altuve, Result: Home Run, .051 xBA
Alright, here’s an unlucky moment to round things off. There were actually 10 other plays this season that resulted in hits against the Braves that had a lower xBA than this one but this was easily the cheapest dinger the Braves gave up all season. Altuve golfed a low pitch from Pérez and the ball ended up flying into the exact perfect spot for it to end up being a homer. This was a classic Crawford Boxes homer and I mean that quite literally — Daikin Park was the only ballpark in baseball where this would’ve been a homer. Awesome.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 04: Trea Turner #7 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks at an iPad in the dugout during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on June 04, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Jess Rapfogel/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Starting tonight, two small market teams who have never won a title will attempt to do so when the Milwaukee Brewers host the Tampa Bay Rays for Game 1 of the 2026 World Series.
With a lockout looming and owners clamoring for a salary cap they say is necessary to restore competitive balance, the teams with the No. 19 (Milwaukee) and No. 28 (Tampa) payrolls are facing off against one another for all the marbles. Both teams led their respective leagues in victories and entered the postseason as the No. 1 seeds.
The fact these two teams are playing in the Fall Classic is proof that one does not need to have a payroll north of $250 million in order to be successful. Having money certainly helps, as the Los Angeles Dodgers have proven over the last few years and, all things being equal, fans should want their teams to spend money on players. The only reason the Phillies have gone on this five-year run of postseason appearances is because they’ve had one of the top-five payrolls in the sport.
The goal should be to spend a lot of money, but also to do it wisely.
Instead of dumping cash into the 26-man roster, the Rays and Brewers instead choose to spend their resources on hiring scouts and a deep analytics department whose goal is to give them a competitive advantage and help them develop their minor leaguers. Tampa and Milwaukee have done a marvelous job on both accounts, consistently producing top prospects that, upon entering the Majors, become low-cost productive players and, sometimes, even stars.
It would be easy to assume, given the Phils’ inability to make adjustments during slumps and their lack of top-end homegrown talent among position players and relievers, that the front office isn’t investing in those things as much as teams like the Brewers and Rays. That, however, is not true.
For my old friends at @BaseballAmerica, I compiled the sizes of each team’s scouting staff.
Note that many teams frequently renowned for their technology and analytics (Dodgers, Rays, Brewers) also have some of the largest scouting staffs in MLB. https://t.co/Iu4577ReKepic.twitter.com/uXtBTzeZgF
Three teams left, and all three have bigger-than-average analytics staffs.
Brewers: 46 (2nd in MLB) Rays: 39 Guardians: 30 League average: 28.5
The Phillies have the biggest staff in baseball, and they're already home. Like payroll, it's one input. Everything else combined… pic.twitter.com/EbV5BXkpnr
According to those tweets (neither of which I have independently verified but both come from reputable sources), no team in baseball has more people working in their analytics department (51) than the Phillies, and only two have more employed scouts. The Athletic’s Matt Gelb said last week the team had roughly 40 people working in analytics, but noted “most teams are secretive about their staffing.”
Regardless of the specific number, it’s a lot, among the most in Major League Baseball and certainly as robust as Milwauee’s 46 analytics employees and the Rays’ 39. The Phils have come a long way since 2014 when I interviewed Scott Freedman, the very first analytics employee hired by the Phillies, under Ruben Amaro, Jr. According to his LinkedIn page, Scott is now involved in sports and real estate planning and development.
But he got the ball rolling. Quite a difference in 12 years.
At his year-end press conference, Dombrowski talked about how the team has been using data. When you employ 51 people to provide information solutions for the field staff and front office, it’s clear work is being done. This is not an area the front office is pinching pennies. However, given Dombrowski’s comments, it sounds like either there are issues with the way the data is being produced and formulated, or the coaches and players throughout the organization aren’t using it or are using it incorrectly, especially on the hitting side (quote via The Athletic).
“They [the analytics department] supply good information that we are looking to improve upon. But I think they’re very good. I think that they really have a good foundation.
“For example, they work with (pitching coach) Caleb (Cotham) all the time, right? Well, from the pitching perspective, we’re known as being very progressive. So I think it’s not only how you get the information, but then how other people want to use it, too. That is information we need to do a better job at using. That’s not the analytic people’s fault. It’s something we need to do a better job at emphasizing ourselves.”
Matt Gelb also noted the team promoted Dan Aucoin in August to run the research and development arm of the analytics department:
On the hitting side, the Phillies have had analysts embedded in the underground cage for years. Hitters were often citing data presented to them by Kevin Long and other coaches. Maybe it could be better incorporated.
Since his promotion, Aucoin has rearranged the department by establishing a clearer hierarchy through new positions: an assistant director of pitching research (Kyle Lennon) and an assistant director of hitting research (Kyle Lindley).
The Phillies overhauled the R&D department’s “predictive modeling” staff in September. At least seven members of the R&D team have departed the Phillies since then. The predictive modeling group formed “the organization’s forecasts of player performance,” according to the team’s media guide.
All this requires some tea leaf reading, but it’s obvious something is amiss with this robust analytics department, the information they were providing and who and how the data was being used.
Dombrowski appears to want to create a hitting school, backed by data, that will behave in a way similar to the team’s pitching lab that has seen a good deal of success over the last couple years. They turned Andrew Painter around mid-season, helped Cristopher Sanchez and Jesus Luzardo find another level, and gained success with relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman a few years ago.
But it’s not all analytics. Part of the Moneyball debate from the mid-2000s was a push back against big league scouts who only wanted to use feel, the eye test, and other intangibles when making their assessments of ball players. Teams today realize that scouts still serve a vital role, provided they are speaking the language the front office wants them to speak.
Even with a robust analytics department, the Phillies have the third-largest scouting department in MLB, according to Baseball America, with only the Yankees and Dodgers featuring more scouts. Their 89 scouts are more than the Rays’ 84 and the Brewers’ 78.
Again, these numbers may not be exact, but they paint a picture of an organization that is investing in the same ways the so-called “small market” teams are.
The Phillies have pro scouts, amateur scouts, international scouts and others scouring the country and the world for talent. So the question isn’t simply about numbers. Instead, important questions need to be asked.
Are they looking for a particular set of traits from hitters and pitchers? If so, is it aligned with what the analytics department is emphasizing? Is it aligned with traits the coaching staff wants? Are these players ill-fitted to what the coaching staff looks for? Should they be focusing less on pro scouting and more on amateur scouting? Are they putting their resources in the right places?
There has been a lot of shakeup in the organization’s front office, farm system hierarchy and analytics departments over the last calendar year. These kinds of changes indicate something wasn’t working.
But part of solving a problem is admitting there is one, and the best news is that the Phillies aren’t trying to solve these problems on the cheap. They have invested heavily in both of the areas, more heavily than the two World Series participants.
Milwaukee and Tampa are simply doing it better, and it’s up to the Phils’ front office to figure out what they’re doing wrong with the multitude of resources they have at their disposal.
