Category: Baseball

Frelick and Pratt lift Brewers to 5-4 comeback win over Rays and 2-0 World Series lead originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Sal Frelick tied the score with his first home run in three months, Cooper Pratt hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning and the Milwaukee Brewers stunned the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Saturday night for a 2-0 World Series lead by overcoming a four-run deficit for the second time in the postseason.

Tampa Bay, which won the AL pennant by forcing opponents into mistakes, committed one error, made two other misplays that could have been charged as errors and had a runner thrown out at the plate.

Down 4-0 in the first inning, Milwaukee rallied for its seventh comeback win of this postseason. The Brewers also rebounded from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series, completing a four-game sweep.

After losing Friday’s opener 3-2, the Rays burst ahead against rookie Logan Henderson but the Brewers started to claw back with two runs in the bottom half against Tampa Bay ace Drew Rasmussen.

David Hamilton cut the deficit to 4-3 with a run-scoring grounder in the fourth and Frelick capped a nine-pitch at-bat against Ian Seymour in the sixth by driving a fastball over the center-field fence.

Frelick had gone 103 plate appearances without a home run since his July 11 drive off Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft and had not gone deep against a lefty pitcher since opening day against Tyler Gilbert of the Chicago White Sox. Frelick sped around the bases in 18.72 seconds, half the time of some theatrical trots this postseason.

Screaming fans at the second game of Milwaukee’s first World Series since 1982 were fired up during the seventh-inning stretch, dancing to the “Beer Barrel Polka” played by Mike Schneider, an accordionist from Clinton, Wisconsin.

Brice Turang doubled against losing pitcher Tyler Wells on the second pitch of the bottom half, advanced on Garrett Mitchell’s flyout to right and scored when Pratt, a 22-year-old who debuted in June, looped a sinker from Kevin Kelly into short right field.

Abner Uribe pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings for the win.

Jonny DeLuca doubled off Aaron Ashby starting the ninth, then Victor Mesa Jr. struck out when he couldn’t check his swing. Pinch-hitter Ben Williamson’s groundout advanced the runner and Yandy Díaz struck out when he couldn’t check his swing on a full-count pitch.

Ashby has three saves in the postseason while not allowing a run.

Milwaukee won its seventh straight game, becoming the fifth team to twice overcome four-run deficits for victories in a single postseason and the first since Philadelphia in 2022.

Game 3 of the matchup between teams seeking their first title is Monday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the Brewers last played in 2023.

Of the 57 previous teams to take 2-0 World Series leads, 46 claimed the championship.

Tampa Bay took a 4-2 lead in the highest-scoring Series first inning since 1993’s Game 4 as teams combined for seven hits, tying the most in an opening frame.

Still, Milwaukee improved to 13-0 in games started by Henderson, dating to his 2025 debut. He followed Jacob Misiorowski in the Brewers’ rotation, the first time teammates 24 or younger started the first two games of the Series since Cincinnati’s Gary Nolan and Ross Grimsley in 1972.

Henderson started on 11 days’ rest and struggled as the Rays fouled off 13 of 35 pitches in the first. He gave up four runs — three earned — in three innings.

Given an extra day of rest, Rasmussen allowed three runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings in his shortest start since July 9.

Pratt made his fourth error of the postseason at shortstop, the Brewers’ ninth in 10 games, bouncing his throw past first baseman Jake Bauers on a leadoff grounder by Díaz. Chandler Simpson and Junior Caminero followed with RBI singles, and Liam Hicks hit a two-run homer.

Jackson Chourio and Bauers started the bottom half with singles and first baseman Jonathan Aranda allowed Contreras’ one-out foul pop to bounce out of his mitt near netting in front of the seats.

With Bauers running on a full-count pitch, Contreras bounced an RBI single to the left of second baseman Richie Palacios, who had taken a step toward the base. Mitchell’s two-out single cut the deficit to 4-2.

Hamilton hit an RBI grounder in the fourth that bounced under Aranda’s legs for an error.

Chourio threw out Hicks from left for the final out of the sixth when third base coach Brady Williams waved the slow-footed catcher to try to score from second on Mesa’s single.

Up next

Rays RHP Freddy Peralta, who became a two-time All-Star when he pitched for the Brewers from 2018-25, starts Game 3. He was the AL Championship Series MVP and is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in three postseason starts and one relief appearance. He will be opposed by Brewers LHP Robert Gasser, who allowed one run over nine innings in his first two postseason starts.

Frelick and Pratt lift Brewers to 5-4 comeback win over Rays and 2-0 World Series lead originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Sal Frelick tied the score with his first home run in three months, Cooper Pratt hit a go-ahead single in the seventh inning and the Milwaukee Brewers stunned the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 on Saturday night for a 2-0 World Series lead by overcoming a four-run deficit for the second time in the postseason.

Tampa Bay, which won the AL pennant by forcing opponents into mistakes, committed one error, made two other misplays that could have been charged as errors and had a runner thrown out at the plate.

Down 4-0 in the first inning, Milwaukee rallied for its seventh comeback win of this postseason. The Brewers also rebounded from a 4-0 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series, completing a four-game sweep.

After losing Friday’s opener 3-2, the Rays burst ahead against rookie Logan Henderson but the Brewers started to claw back with two runs in the bottom half against Tampa Bay ace Drew Rasmussen.

David Hamilton cut the deficit to 4-3 with a run-scoring grounder in the fourth and Frelick capped a nine-pitch at-bat against Ian Seymour in the sixth by driving a fastball over the center-field fence.

Frelick had gone 103 plate appearances without a home run since his July 11 drive off Pittsburgh’s Braxton Ashcraft and had not gone deep against a lefty pitcher since opening day against Tyler Gilbert of the Chicago White Sox. Frelick sped around the bases in 18.72 seconds, half the time of some theatrical trots this postseason.

Screaming fans at the second game of Milwaukee’s first World Series since 1982 were fired up during the seventh-inning stretch, dancing to the “Beer Barrel Polka” played by Mike Schneider, an accordionist from Clinton, Wisconsin.

Brice Turang doubled against losing pitcher Tyler Wells on the second pitch of the bottom half, advanced on Garrett Mitchell’s flyout to right and scored when Pratt, a 22-year-old who debuted in June, looped a sinker from Kevin Kelly into short right field.

Abner Uribe pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings for the win.

Jonny DeLuca doubled off Aaron Ashby starting the ninth, then Victor Mesa Jr. struck out when he couldn’t check his swing. Pinch-hitter Ben Williamson’s groundout advanced the runner and Yandy Díaz struck out when he couldn’t check his swing on a full-count pitch.

Ashby has three saves in the postseason while not allowing a run.

Milwaukee won its seventh straight game, becoming the fifth team to twice overcome four-run deficits for victories in a single postseason and the first since Philadelphia in 2022.

Game 3 of the matchup between teams seeking their first title is Monday night at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the Brewers last played in 2023.

Of the 57 previous teams to take 2-0 World Series leads, 46 claimed the championship.

Tampa Bay took a 4-2 lead in the highest-scoring Series first inning since 1993’s Game 4 as teams combined for seven hits, tying the most in an opening frame.

Still, Milwaukee improved to 13-0 in games started by Henderson, dating to his 2025 debut. He followed Jacob Misiorowski in the Brewers’ rotation, the first time teammates 24 or younger started the first two games of the Series since Cincinnati’s Gary Nolan and Ross Grimsley in 1972.

Henderson started on 11 days’ rest and struggled as the Rays fouled off 13 of 35 pitches in the first. He gave up four runs — three earned — in three innings.

Given an extra day of rest, Rasmussen allowed three runs and six hits over 3 2/3 innings in his shortest start since July 9.

Pratt made his fourth error of the postseason at shortstop, the Brewers’ ninth in 10 games, bouncing his throw past first baseman Jake Bauers on a leadoff grounder by Díaz. Chandler Simpson and Junior Caminero followed with RBI singles, and Liam Hicks hit a two-run homer.

Jackson Chourio and Bauers started the bottom half with singles and first baseman Jonathan Aranda allowed Contreras’ one-out foul pop to bounce out of his mitt near netting in front of the seats.

With Bauers running on a full-count pitch, Contreras bounced an RBI single to the left of second baseman Richie Palacios, who had taken a step toward the base. Mitchell’s two-out single cut the deficit to 4-2.

Hamilton hit an RBI grounder in the fourth that bounced under Aranda’s legs for an error.

Chourio threw out Hicks from left for the final out of the sixth when third base coach Brady Williams waved the slow-footed catcher to try to score from second on Mesa’s single.

Up next

Rays RHP Freddy Peralta, who became a two-time All-Star when he pitched for the Brewers from 2018-25, starts Game 3. He was the AL Championship Series MVP and is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA in three postseason starts and one relief appearance. He will be opposed by Brewers LHP Robert Gasser, who allowed one run over nine innings in his first two postseason starts.

The opening game of this series was a good one! The Brewers won 3-2, but the Rays had the go-ahead runner on base, and came pretty close to stealing it. Instead, they are down 1-0 with their ace on the mound and an expectation of tying things up tonight.

This is a game where both teams will feel like a win is vital. As mentioned, Tampa has their top arm on the mound. Losing here, and going down 2-0, would feel like quite a hole from which to recover.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, is the higher seed. If they just win their home games, then they will win the series. Leaving the friendly confines with only a split and Freddy Peralta awaiting them in Game 3 in St. Pete on Monday would not be ideal either.

On a local note, Towson University product Richie Palacios will be starting at second base for the Rays tonight, becoming the first former Tiger to appear in the Fall Classic. As a TU alum myself, I think that’s pretty cool.

Rays at Brewers, 8:00 p.m., FOX

Brewers lead series 1-0

RHP Drew Rasmussen (2-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. RHP Logan Henderson (0-0, 3.00 ERA)

Does Drew Rasmussen hold any ill will towards his old team? Doesn’t seem like it.

“Had the Brewers been playing anyone else in the World Series,” Rasmussen said, “man, I’d be rooting for them.”

That makes sense. Rasmussen knows a lot of people in that organization. They drafted him out of Oregon State back in 2018, and he debuted in the majors for them in 2021. But then they dealt him to the Rays as part of the Willy Adames deal, and the rest is history.

The 31-year-old righty has been key to the Rays playoff run. He has a 1.29 ERA over 21 innings this postseason, including a pair of impressive starts in the ALCS. Another good outing tonight would help his new team even up the World Series at one game apiece.

Logan Henderson is at a different point in his career. The 24-year-old has made two starts for the Brewers in the playoffs, which have totaled nine innings. In those innings he has allowed six runs, but only three of them were earned. His manager Pat Murphy probably won’t push the rookie too hard. They will get what they can, hoping to still be in the game in the event that Rasmussen deals on the other end.

Rays Lineup

1. Yandy Díaz, DH
2. Jonathan Aranda, 1B
3. Chandler Simpson, LF
4. Junior Caminero, 3B
5. Liam Hicks, C
6. Richie Palacios, 2B
7. Jonny DeLuca, CF
8. Victor Mesa Jr., RF
9. Taylor Walls, SS

Brewers Lineup

1. Jackson Chourio, LF
2. Jake Bauers, 1B
3. Christian Yelich, DH
4. William Contreras, C
5. Brice Turang, 2B
6. Garrett Mitchell, CF
7. Cooper Pratt, SS
8. Sal Frelick, RF
9. David Hamilton, 3B

The Brewers successfully held serve in the World Series opener, though it certainly got a bit tense there in the ninth inning, as Tampa had the tying run in scoring position with one out. It ended up as the 11th one-run game this post-season. That’s still a long way off the MLB postseason record for those: in 2016, there were sixteen contests decided by the narrowest of margins. The Giants took all three of their wins in the NLDS against the Nationals by that margin. However, the record likely belongs to the 1972 A’s. Of their seven wins on the way to the title that year, all but the NLCS Game #2 were by one run. Indeed, of the 12 games they played, ten were decided by the smallest possible margin.

This year, the Brewers have played five one-run games, going 4-1, while the Rays have four, and a 2-2 record. Here’s to more exciting baseball tonight in Milwaukee.

• Tampa Bay Rays @ Milwaukee Brewers (0-1): 5 pm, FOX

Is there going to be any meat left in the Great Lakes region when Payton Tolle leaves? After tailgating with Brewers fans yesterday, Tolle joined Miguel Rojas in eating what appears to be a giant beef short rib. The Midwest, ladies and gentlemen.

In on-field news, the Rays will attempt to even the series behind Drew Rasmussen, who has basically been an automatic win for Tampa for the past few months. But Logan Henderson and his sub-3 2026 ERA will be leading the Brew Crew.

Coverage begins at 8 PM on FOX, with first pitch shortly thereafter.

Game one of the World Series was fun to watch (though I watched at a bar, so anything would have been fun). Close games are more fun.

I’m out most of the night, so I’m missing this one.

I’d like a seven series.

Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at Milwaukee Brewers (1-0)

Time/Place: 8:00 p.m. ET, American Family Field, Milwaukee WI

Broadcast: FOX

SB Nation Sites: DRaysBay/Brew Crew Ball

Pitching Matchup: RHP Drew Rasmussen vs. RHP Logan Henderson

Losing the Nick Martinez vs. Jacob Misiorowski matchup in Game 1 isn’t the end of the world for the Rays. With their ace on the mound, Game 2 is a lot closer to a crucial game to win, but Logan Henderson is a tough opponent. The difference in Game 1 was partly the Rays running into several outs on the basepaths with runners in scoring position. This still feels like a very evenly matched series. We’ll see if the Rays can get back into to even in the series before it moves to Tampa Bay for games 3-5.

Game one of the 2026 World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers was great baseball. Aside from the fact that it features new blood with two teams searching for their first title, the first showdown was neck and neck.

Milwaukee jumped out to an early two-run lead in the first, but the Rays wouldn’t back down, cutting into the lead in the fourth inning. The Brewers added an insurance run in the seventh and needed to withstand a ninth inning rally attempt to secure the first win.

On paper, tonight’s matchup should be a great one, too. It’s shaping up to be another close, low-scoring battle behind a stellar pitching matchup.

Tampa Bay will look to even the series behind Drew Rasmussen. The pitcher carries a perfect 2-0 record across three starts this Fall. He posted a masterclass against the New York Yankees in the ALDS, going eight scoreless innings with just one hit surrendered, alongside 10 strikeouts. He looked sharp in his two ALCS outings against the Cleveland Guardians, as well, giving up three total runs across two games, with plenty of strikeouts in each.

Taking the mound for Milwaukee is righty Logan Henderson. Henderson posted a very strong regular season, going 11-3 in 18 starts with a 2.47 ERA and a 0.844 WHIP, tossing 110 strikeouts in 98.1 innings. He hasn’t logged a win yet this postseason, but posted two solid games nonetheless. He held the San Diego Padres offense to just two hits and two runs in five innings of work in the NLDS and allowed the Los Angeles Dodgers three hits and four runs (only two earned) in the NLCS.

The Rays are making a few tweaks to the lineup today, swapping out Ben Williamson for Richie Palacios at second base and shuffling around the bottom of the batting order. The Brewers are rolling out the same batting order they used in game one. Despite a low-scoring affair, the team logged eight hits with strong performances from Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, and Christian Yelich.

We’ve got all the makings of another classic in the Fall Classic. Enjoy!

Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at Milwaukee Brewers (1-0) – 6:00 PM MDT

Pitching Matchup: RHP Drew Rasmussen (2-0, 1.29 postseason ERA) vs. RHP Logan Henderson (0-0, 3.00 postseason ERA)

SB Nation sites:DRaysBay | Brew Crew Ball

Radio: ESPN Radio

TV: FOX

Lineups:

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks! 

Last night, the Milwaukee Brewers began their first World Series appearance in 44 years with a highly-dramatic 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the best-of-seven championship series.

Trailing by two runs entering the top of the ninth inning, the Rays pulled within a run against Brewers closer Trevor Megill after Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt failed to keep his foot on second base on what would have been a game-ending double play. Megill rebounded to strike out the next hitter with the tying run 90 feet away.

These two small-market powerhouses will meet again tonight in Game 2 of the Fall Classic. The Brewers will look to take a 2-0 series lead, while the Rays aim to even the series before heading home.

Rays at Brewers (5:00 PST)

After their late-game rally fell just short yesterday, the Rays will turn to their ace to start Game 2. 31-year-old right-hander Drew Rasmussen (16-5, 2.67 ERA) will face the team that drafted him and gave him his major league debut.

Rasmussen spent 2020 and the beginning of 2021 with Milwaukee before being traded to Tampa Bay in exchange for shortstop Willy Adames. Facing his former team, Rasmussen could have extra motivation this evening. The right-hander enters his fourth start of the postseason with a 2-0 record, a 1.29 ERA, a 0.76 WHIP and 23 strikeouts in 21 innings. He will look to deliver another quality start in a game where runs could be at a premium.

Here’s how the Rays are lining up for this one:

Right-hander Logan Henderson (11-3, 2.47 ERA) will start for the Brew Crew. The 24-year-old’s excellent first full major league season largely flew under the radar due to fellow starter Jacob Misiorowski’s stellar campaign.

Pitching in his first postseason, Henderson has handled the bright lights and national spotlight well. However, in his lone NLCS start, he struggled to make accurate throws to first base, giving the Rays an incentive to lay down some bunts to test his fielding ability. The Brewers have won every game he’s started at American Family Field. Will that streak continue tonight, or will he falter in the biggest start of his young career?

And the Brewers’ starting nine:

One of these teams is going to be a game closer to their first championship. Who takes Game 2 of the World Series tonight?

The Brewers put their ace on the mound to start Game 1 and still had to survive a replay review in the ninth inning going against them to hold on to a one-run win.

I still look for this to be a competitive series, especially with the Rays throwing their ace this evening.

7 p.m. CT: Rays at Brewers (Brewers lead series 1-0)

TV: Fox-TV, Fox One (streaming). Announcers: Joe Davis, John Smoltz, Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci.

Drew Rasmussen, RHP vs. Logan Henderson, RHP

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com preview

Tonight is Game 2 of the World Series.

It will be played in Milwaukee. The Brewers won the first game.

Drew Rasmussen of the Rays goes up against Logan Henderson of the Brew Crew.

It is a 7:00 p.m. Central start time on Fox. Talk about it here.

Former Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Martinez turned in an excellent outing for the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night at American Family Field against the juggernaut Milwaukee Brewers and fireballer Jacob Misiorowski. It’s just that the Brewers got to him a little too much right off the bat and the rest of the elite Brewers relief corps was good enough to hold on for a 3-2 win in a Game 1 that had everyone on the edge of their seats.

On Saturday night, the Beers will roll out righty Logan Henderson in an attempt at seizing a commanding 2-0 lead while Tampa will counter with veteran righty Drew Rasmussen, who has been virtually unhittable so far in the postseason (21.0 IP, 1.76 ERA, 0.76 WHIP).

Gametime is slated for just after 8:00 PM ET once again in the confines formerly known as Miller Park, and FOX once again has their C- broadcast crew on-scene.

Here’s how both clubs will line up to begin things:

The Brewers managed to hang on for a thrilling Game 1 victory, but now they will ask Logan Henderson to match up with the Rays’ ace, Drew Rasmussen. The Brewers haven’t lost a home start with Henderson on the mound in a long while, but the Rays have got to be heavily incentivized to make sure they’re not heading back to St. Petersburg with a 2-0 deficit to overcome.

Lineups

Five years ago, Logan Henderson was pitching at McLennan Community College in Texas. Now, he's starting Game 2 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays at American Family Field.

The Milwaukee Brewers' right-hander has earned the start. He went 11-3 this season with a 2.47 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 98 1/3 innings. Hitters managed just 0.84 walks and hits per inning against him.

Even better for Milwaukee fans, Henderson has never lost a start at American Family Field and the Brewers have never lost a game he has started there. He is 8-0 in 10 starts at home. The Brewers are 10-0 in his starts there in the regular season and 2-0 in the postseason.

Giancarlo Stanton’s mind has consistently said one thing, his body another. 

Whether the two will finally match up again to allow him to be any kind of contributor for the Yankees in 2027, though, remains very much in question, setting up a $15 million decision. 

After three separate calf strains sidelined him for five-plus months and relegated him to a pair of pinch-hit at-bats in October, the soon-to-be 37-year-old DH entered the offseason healthy. That is the only bit of certainty the Yankees have involving Stanton, whose body continues to betray him late in his potential Hall of Fame career. 

“It destroyed him that he wasn’t available to us to try to help us and impact us in a positive way for most of the run this year,” general manager Brian Cashman said earlier this week. “He continued to fight through it, as someone who is wired right should. He is wired right. His leadership in there [the clubhouse] is not in question. His care factor is not in question. It’s just keeping him on the field so he can help us in that win column — it was a huge problem for us especially in 2026.” 

Regardless of what happens, the Yankees owe Stanton $15 million in 2027 (with the Marlins paying the other $10 million of his $25 million salary), which is why it makes little sense to cut him now. They have sufficient room on their 40-man roster to get to work this offseason without having to worry about a crunch just yet. 

So whenever spring training actually begins, depending on the looming lockout, Stanton figures to at least have a chance to report to camp and show the Yankees what he has left. But once that happens, then the clock might start ticking louder. 

The way the Yankees are currently constructed, assuming health, there may not be a whole lot of DH at-bats up for grabs even if Stanton is physically able. In his absence this season, Ben Rice essentially became a full-time DH, especially after the Yankees acquired Luis García Jr. at the trade deadline. García has another year left on his contract, and while the Yankees have teased possibly reintroducing some second base to him, that would likely only be a part-time solution instead of any kind of permanent move. 

Even if García does play second occasionally and Rice can improve his defense at first base, Aaron Judge may need to start getting more DH days, meaning another potential roadblock for Stanton at-bats. 

Of course, all of that banks on him being healthy in the first place, which has proven difficult. His calves limited him to 96 plate appearances in 24 games this year. Last season, his elbows (a problem that isn’t going away) limited him to 281 plate appearances in 77 games. 

“Obviously we know what he’s capable of when he is healthy,” Cashman said. “We look forward to seeing if we can deploy a healthy version of him next year. But obviously that DH spot is also available or up for grabs as well, for other people that could benefit from it at the same time. We’ll have those conversations. But I can tell you this … G’s a very accountable, responsible, wired correctly professional athlete.” 

That much has never been in doubt. Throughout the ups and downs of his Yankees tenure, Stanton has been one of the most respected and important voices in the clubhouse. He continued that this season despite being hurt for most of it, but the Yankees missed the threat of his right-handed bat in the middle of the order — still a presence, as his half a season in 2025 (he hit .273 with a .944 OPS and 24 home runs) reminded. 

“I know it was a very tough year for Giancarlo, from the soft-tissue stuff and lower-body stuff, and that pains him because … Big G is wired right and he cares immensely and does all he can to take care of his body as best he can,” manager Aaron Boone said. “So we’ll see. We’ll see as the winter unfolds, we’ll see what the roster looks like when we get to Tampa and we go back at it. But it’s impossible to know exactly what that looks like right now.”