Demonstrator with a sandwich board reading The End Is Nigh protests in Westminster on Budget Day on 22nd November 2017 in London, England, United Kingdom. As the Tories deliver their Autumn Budget, protesters make their views heard outside Parliament. (photo by Mike Kemp/In Pictures via Getty Images Images) | In Pictures via Getty Images
This could be the last major-league game for quite a while. If you were hoping for a long, drawn-out World Series, it seems the Brewers have other intentions. They have disposed of the Rays with brutal efficiency. Through three games, the Rays have averaged just 33 PA. That’s the third lowest figure in World Series history. In the second ever event, in 1905, the Philadelphia Athletics averaged 32.8 across a five-game loss to the New York Giants. And in the 1963 World Series, the Dodgers averaged 32.75 PA/G. Though they swept the series, and skipped the ninth inning in Games 3+4.
The Tampa Bay offense has been almost completely stifled, with a line of .187/.237/.264 for a .501 OPS. Only one team is below that since 1988. The Detroit Tigers in 2012 hit .159/.243/.246 for a .489 OPS – that was also the last time the World Series ended in a sweep. But that’s in line with this being the worst postseason offensively as a whole in the same time span. Pitching has dominated this October, in a way not recently seen. Going into the potentially final game, the 12 teams have a collective OPS of .637, across 2,768 PA. That’s the lowest playoff OPS since 1983.
Milwaukee Brewers @ Tampa Bay Rays (3-0): 5 pm, FOX
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 10: Bryce Eldridge #8 of the San Francisco Giants is swarmed by teammates after a walk off grand slam at Oracle Park on June 10, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Yesterday, we took a look at the pitching struggles that shaped the disastrous 2026 season. But it wasn’t six months of pain and bigotry. There was an exciting vein of success running through it that has the potential to reverberate into the future, and beyond just this single player.
Bryce Eldridge will get the full season review treatment later on, but for now it’s enough to point out that the Giants did it. They finally graduated a hitting prospect with All-Star potential. It had been too long and seemed to cement the idea that the Giants, as a player development entity, were failures. That part of the baseball operation was a money pit that only offered up the occasional hope or dream. But a 6’7” left-handed slugger who could seize control of Oracle Park as Barry Bonds once did… he was a prospect with too much potential to ignore or even diminish with low expectations.
And all Eldridge did was play up to the modestly high ones fans and prospect hounds alike had for him heading into the season. For example, here were ZiPS 80th and 20th percentile projections for him:
Take a bow, Dan Szymborski and your various graphics cards that run ZiPS projections! No, that’s not really the spirit of ZiPS — Dan’s not trying to prove to you how smart he is, he’s trying to show you the likeliest outcomes based on meaningful statistical analysis — but it just goes to show that the modest projection for him was something far less than where he wound up. I wonder how often a 21-year old hits their 80th percentile projection?
Yes, his season was cut short due to an abundance of caution following an incident with a door frame, but he still wound up with a very respectable 17 home runs and 57 RBI with that triple slash, which helped put him in some interesting company:
Bryce Eldridge this season: 443 PA | 12.9 BB% | .465 SLG | 131 wRC+
The only other players since 1983 to put up those numbers in their age-21 or younger season:
Is there a bit of scrounging going on here? Hoping to find the right sort or filter to make Eldridge stand out? Sure. Eldridge wound up being the 20th-most valuable rookie in 2026 (by fWAR; min 100 PA) — Wade Meckler’s defense got him to 2 fWAR, good enough for 18th — and even out of the 21-year old rookies (of which there were 10 with a minimum of 100 PA), he came in 3rd in terms of fWAR, behind Kevin McGonigle and A.J. Ewing. He is, technically, the best hitter of the group by wRC+, but his 131 is ahead of Kevin McGonigle by just two points while McGonigle had 259 more plate appearances (707 to 448). So, he had a very good season, but not an historic one.
Then again, this is a Giants blog and he’s a Giants prospect and dang it, there was a lot of history in this wonderful season. Also, and rather crucially, there was this historic moment for the ages:
That was his 109th plate appearance of the season, and it’d be easy to say it was the high point, but, really, the whole season was a high point. The record will show that he had just a .799 OPS after this game over his next 339 plate appearances, but what we saw every day was a player who would get a little ahead, then fall a little behind. Get ahead, fall behind. His splits by month is a testament to her perseverance and, potentially, evidence of how he was able to maintain focus over his first full season.
(Also, maybe some credit to Hunter Mense and the hitting staff, too.)
in our first extended look at him defensively, he’s … pretty OK? Maybe even really good, with a much higher ceiling than anyone expected? (And if anyone is expected to have a high ceiling, we know it’s Eldridge.)
As a continuing storyline, Eldridge was the first bold step forward in the industry’s and fan’s perception of the franchise’s player development. A big, tall leading indicator that the farm system was turning around.
All 7 farm teams posted winning records and overall the system combined for a record of 413-303. That follows a season where 6 of the 7 were winners and they system overall went 405-314.While it’s true that the player development system has had success this decade prior to Buster Posey taking command (2021-2024: 1,535-1,429, .518 win%), perception is very important, and the Giants have managed to turn that around fairly quickly. Eldridge isn’t a fluke. He’s leading the next generation.
Who follows in his footsteps remains an open question, but with their top 5 players all on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 and their next 5 another group of tantalizing talents with standout skills — Kilen’s 60 hit, Jordan’s 60 power, Davidson’s 50s across the board, Bresnahan’s 60 FB/65 CU, and Bolemon’s 60 breaking stuff — it feels like the system is finally having A Moment. Whether or not they can sustain it long-term (Bobby Evans and Brian Sabean certainly couldn’t) is actually besides the point. As a 2026 storyline, the emergence of an actually interesting player development pipeline is one of the bigger ones.
Yes, some of the best are still maybe a year or two away and maybe a year or two away from putting it together to approach their projections, and many simply aren’t going to make it, but at this point, you have to see player development as a continuing storyline that figures to bear fruit in every season when it matters. Like this one we all just endured.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 27: A detail shot of a World Series bat on the MLB Network stage prior to Game Four of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, October 27, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Three straight wins for the Brewers. I was hoping for a long series, but it doesn’t look like that is going to happen. If the series ends tonight, the off-season starts tomorrow.
Today’s Lineups
BREWERS
RAYS
Jackson Chourio – LF
Yandy Diaz – DH
Jake Bauers – 1B
Jonathan Aranda – 1B
Christian Yelich – DH
Junior Caminero – 3B
William Contreras – C
Liam Hicks – C
Brice Turang – 2B
Jonny DeLuca – CF
Sal Frelick – RF
Chandler Simpson – LF
Cooper Pratt – SS
Ryan Vilade – RF
Garrett Mitchell – CF
Richie Palacios – 2B
David Hamilton – 3B
Taylor Walls – SS
Dustin May – RHP
Griffin Jax – RHP
I thought the Rays would, at least, make a series out of this, but it doesn’t look like it is going to happen.
My wife and I went up to Edmonton yesterday to see a night of John Prine music. Four very talented singers/musicians played 2+ hours of John Prine songs. They did all the songs you’d want to see Prine sing, if he were still around. Many that I knew by heart, but also a few that were album cuts that I didn’t remember.
And we had supper with our son and his girl friend, which was great.
Baseball: World Series: Tampa Bay Rays Richie Palacios (1) in the field vs Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Game 2. Milwaukee, WI 10/24/2026CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images) (Set Number: X164970 TK1)
Tonight’s game is possibly the last baseball game of 2026, and maybe from then on the last game of baseball for quite a while, depending on how the lockout goes. As such, we are rooting very hard for the Rays to keep the World Series going because despite our various preferences as a staff, first and foremost we are on team More Baseball. So: let’s go Rays.
Lineups:
Richie Palacios returns to the Rays starting lineup. Griffin Jax will be tasked with trying to keep the Rays from being swept out of the World Series.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with Brice Turang #2, William Contreras #24, and David Hamilton #6 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrate after scoring a run during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Milwaukee Brewers will try to lock up a world championship Tuesday night as they take a 3-0 series lead into Tropicana Field. The Rays will start RHP Griffin Jax while the Brewers will reportedly start Dustin May. First pitch is scheduled for 7pm central time and the game broadcast will be available via Fox.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 24: Dustin May #21 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates an out against the Tampa Bay Rays during the fifth inning in game two of the 2026 World Series at American Family Field on October 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
No team has ever rallied from an 0-3 deficit in the World Series, and only the 2004 Boston Red Sox have done it in any best-of-seven playoff series. That is the task now before the Tampa Bay Rays. The Brewers were the ones who had to wait almost a week between the League Championship and the World Series, but somehow they’ve been the club that hasn’t missed a beat. Meanwhile, a Rays lineup that has cooked all season long has run out of gas, while they’ve only made it tougher on themselves by running into a ton of outs on the basepaths.
The Brewers are hunting their first World Series in franchise, and they look dead set on getting it ton as soon as possible. We’ll see if the Rays can put up a fight and make a bit of a series out of it, but the Brewers appear inevitable at this point.
Time/Place: 8:00 p.m ET, Tropicana Field, Tampa, Florida
Broadcast: FOX
SB Nation Sites: DRaysBay/Brew Crew Ball
Pitching Matchup: RHP Dustin May (0-0, 5.63 ERA) vs. RHP Griffin Jax (0-1, 6.00 ERA)
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
Tonight could see the great city of Milwaukee inundated in a collective inebriation not seen in decades. Their mighty Brewers sit on the cusp of a World Series title after seizing a commanding 3-0 lead over their rivals the Tampa Bay Rays, the latter of whom now must achieve the impossible if they’re to hang their first banner in Tropicana Field.
The Rays will at least have their home field on which to lean in Game 4, as the Trop will again be the host site for the action. That was anything but a good thing for Tampa in Game 3, however, as the Brewers hitting machine sliced and carved them to pieces in a 10-1 rout that sent the Rays to the brink.
All hands will obviously be on-deck for Tampa in what could end up being the final Major League Baseball game played for awhile, what with the December 1st expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the looming lockout from owners on the docket. Griffin Jax will be tasked with the start, though Tampa will obviously have a quick hook if need be – something that yesterday’s drubbing exacerbated as they needed to turn away from starter Freddy Peralta earlier than anyone had hoped.
Dustin May will toe the rubber for Milwaukee as they look to clinch. First pitch is set for just after 8:00 PM ET, with coverage once again on FOX.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: Sal Frelick #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates after hitting an RBI Double during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Do you hear that sound? It’s the sound of every Wisconsinite getting out their decorative beer mugs in preparation for a win tonight and their first World Series championship…ever.
The Brewers are up 3-0 on the Rays, and the chances that Milwaukee gets the series eventually are very, very high. Still, I’m a little surprised they aren’t turning to Jacob Misiorowski here. Yes, it’s on short rest, but he is very clearly their best pitcher. Him pitching today means that he’d also be available in Game 7 a la He Who Shall Not Be Named from the 2014 World Series.
Instead, Dustin May and his 5.64 ERA with Milwaukee this year will be pitching. If there was a chance for Tampa to eke out a win (or start a comeback), it seems like today would be the day.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - SEPTEMBER 20: Griffin Jax #22 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during the game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Sunday, September 20, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Alex Zadorozny/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: The Milwaukee Brewers celebrate in the dugout during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
And it all comes down to this.
Last night, the Milwaukee Brewers dominated the Tampa Bay Rays in a 10-2 blowout (that saw old friend Antonio Senzatela throwing two quality innings in relief).
Tonight may mark the end of the 2026 MLB season if the red hot Brewers can complete the sweep — and nothing we’ve seen so far suggests they won’t. That means the home team enters this one as an underdog.
The Brewers will send Dustin May to the mound to start game. The righty is 0-0 in postseason play and has a 5.63 ERA. He was struck out five.
Starting for the Rays is RHP Griffin Jax. He is 0-1 in the postseason with a 6.00 ERA that includes six strikeouts.
Milwaukee Brewers (3-0) at Tampa Bay Rays (0-2) – 6 p.m. MDT
Pitching Matchup: RHP Freddy Peralta (2-0, 1.08 postseason ERA) vs. LHP Robert Gasser (0-0, 1.00 postseason ERA)
Jackson Chourio | (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Brewers lineup
Jackson Chourio – LF Jake Bauers – 1B Christian Yelich – DH William Contreras – C Brice Turang – 2B Sal Frelick – RF Cooper Pratt – SS Garrett Mitchell – CF David Hamilton – 3B
SP: Dustin May – RHP
Rays lineup
Yandy Diaz – DH Jonathan Aranda – 1B Junior Caminero – 3B Liam Hicks – C Jonny DeLuca – CF Chandler Simpson – LF Ryan Vilade – RF Richie Palacios – 2B Taylor Walls – SS
SP: Griffin Jax – RHP
Broadcast info
Time: 8:00 PM EDT TV: FOX / FOX ONE, Fox Deportes Radio: ESPN Radio
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: Chandler Simpson #14 and Richie Palacios #1 of the Tampa Bay Rays look on from the dugout during the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I don’t want the Rays to win the World Series. I didn’t want them to win before Game 1, and I ESPECIALLY don’t want them to win it now that they’re down three games to none, because I don’t want any team other than the 2004 Red Sox to ever win after being down three games to none ever again. This is very important to me.
Having said that, my God, Rays, please win tonight. There are few more depressing days than the first few days after the baseball season ends, when the rhythm that has dictated your life since late March suddenly disappears. You don’t notice its absence on the first day after the series. Maybe you don’t notice it on the second day, either. But that third day is brutal. The third day brings that realization that the foreseeable future is dark and cold and has nothing for you at 7:10 PM on a Tuesday night.
Moreover, it’s been a lackluster postseason and we deserve a good series. Griffin Jax will take the mound at 8 on FOX for the Rays to try to give us one. He’ll be opposed by … wait, really? This isn’t a typo or some kind of Mandela Effect thing going on? Really? REALLY?Okay, sure, whatever. Life is mysterious and unknowable, I guess… Dustin May.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: Chandler Simpson #14 of the Tampa Bay Rays makes a catch at the warning track during the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game three of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have Game 4 of the World Series this evening, and with the Brewers holding a commanding 3-0 lead, its very possible this is the last major league baseball game we will have in 2026.
If the Brewers take Game 4, it will not only be the first title in their history, but also the first World Series sweep since 2012, when the Giants swept the Tigers.
I’d like to see the Rays win tonight if for no other reasons than this: More baseball is always good, and we don’t know when MLB players will next take the field after this World Series due to the looming owners’ lockout.
7 p.m. CT: Brewers at Rays (Brewers lead series 3-1)
TV: Fox-TV, Fox One (streaming). Announcers: Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci.
Milwaukee Brewers fans cheer for their team before Game 4 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Co
The 2026 World Series shifted to Tampa Bay for Game 3 on Monday night, but the change in scenery failed to slow the Milwaukee Brewers. The National League champions won 10-1 to move within one victory of their first World Series title. After scoring two runs in the third inning, the Brew Crew erupted for eight runs with two outs in the fifth. Left-hander Robert Gasser was unfazed by the hostile road environment, allowing one hit over six scoreless innings.
The Rays are fighting history, as no team has ever overcome an 0-3 deficit in the World Series. Tampa Bay must win Game 4 tonight to keep its season alive and force a Game 5 on Wednesday. However, the Brewers are looking to finish the series in four games and join the 1976 Cincinnati Reds as the only teams to sweep both the NLCS and the World Series.
The only teams to sweep the NLCS and World Series…
Through three games, the Brewers have simply been the better team. Milwaukee’s offense has delivered more clutch hits, while its starters and relievers have outperformed their Rays counterparts. Both teams feature strong bullpens, but Tampa Bay’s relief corps faltered at the worst possible time. If the Rays hope to begin a comeback, they must generate more offense and eliminate defensive and base running errors.
The Rays will turn to right-hander Griffin Jax for the biggest start of his career. Jax has struggled this postseason, allowing four earned runs in six innings over two appearances. Earlier this year, the Brewers scored five runs against him in an outing in which he recorded just three outs. Facing elimination, Rays manager Kevin Cash will keep Jax on a short leash and pull him early if he runs into trouble.
Here’s how the Rays stack up for this must-win Game 4:
The Brewers will counter with right-hander Dustin May. He has made four appearances this postseason, but only one was a start, in which he lasted three innings. Given that, May likely will serve as the opener, pitching two or three innings before handing the ball to left-hander Shane Drohan or another Brewers pitcher.
