Category: Sports News

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. ⛽️

17 for strikes. pic.twitter.com/Lxmtq6n4HF

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 10, 2026

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

— Zack Scott (@ZackScottSports) October 18, 2026

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 #WorldSeries Crew ❕#WinOurWay x @AmFampic.twitter.com/Oya31RmdZb

— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) October 23, 2026

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.

RAYS ROSTER ⚾ The Tampa Bay Rays announced who will be playing in the World Series. Here's a look at the roster! https://t.co/ZfYdNCqQA9pic.twitter.com/0HDJO2PRXU

— WFLA NEWS (@WFLA) October 23, 2026

All World Series games will air on FOX. Here is the schedule:

• Game 1 at Milwaukee: Friday, Oct. 23, 7 p.m. CT
• Game 2 at Milwaukee: Saturday, Oct. 24, 7 p.m. CT
• Game 3 at Tampa Bay: Monday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m. CT
• Game 4 at Tampa Bay: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m. CT
• Game 5 at Tampa Bay (if necessary): Wednesday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m. CT
• Game 6 at Milwaukee (if necessary): Friday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m. CT
• Game 7 at Milwaukee (if necessary): Saturday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m. CT

Will you tune in? Who are you rooting for? Who do you think will win?

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.

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.

Yountplayed his entire 20-year major league career in Milwaukee. During that time, he earned two MVP awards (1982 and 1989) and was a 1999 inductee into the Hall of Fame. Yount played a vital role in the Brewers' last World Series appearance in '82.

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.

Hall of Famer Paul Molitor, another member of the 1982 Brewers team, will throw out the first pitch before Game 2 of the World Series.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is throwing first pitch for World Series Game 1? Brewers call on franchise icons

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.

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

— Kyle Glaser (@KyleAGlaser) October 22, 2026

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

— Zack Scott (@ZackScottSports) October 18, 2026

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.

The World Series is here! Over the next week, a new champion will be crowned, the Brewers and Rays joining the Padres, Mariners, and Rockies as the five remaining teams in MLB to never win a title. The two teams are probably the archetypes in the league whose brand of baseball represents the object of desire for a significant subsection of fans: sound fundamentals, incisive base running, and a diversity of offensive profiles and approaches. The two teams are also at the cutting edge of a data-driven approach, whether that’s talent acquisition, player development, or skills maintenance, maximizing rosters limited by small TV markets and frugal owners.

Yesterday, we previewed the offenses of both clubs. The Brewers bats have been the class of the postseason, the only offense with a collective wRC+ above 100 in the playoffs, riding a surprising power surge from the top of their lineup. The Rays meanwhile have seemingly over-performed the many struggling bats in their postseason lineups and have to be approaching a record in the modern postseason format for productive outs — every game it feels like we’ve seen multiple sac bunts, sac flies, and runners advancing on fly balls and grounders.

Today, we’ll talk all things pitching.

Milwaukee Brewers

103-59, 1st NL Central
Defeated Padres in NLDS, 3-1
Swept Dodgers in NLCS, 4-0

When we think about the teams with the best pitching staffs over the last decade, the Brewers certainly make the shortlist, and that held true in 2026. Their rotation led all of MLB in strikeout rate (27.4-percent) and K-BB% (19.6-percent) — thanks in large part to a certain Mr. Jacob Misiorowski — while also finishing in the top-five in ERA (3.61), FIP (3.73), and fWAR (15.6). And while the bullpen lagged behind the rotation a tad in the strikeout department, the unit still finished in the top four in ERA (3.40), FIP (3.70), and fWAR (7.0).

The Miz is obviously the marquee attraction of all the stellar pitching we are likely to see in the Fall Classic. The presumptive NL Cy Young redefined our limits for a starting pitcher, throwing the fastest pitch ever recorded by a starter (106 mph) and an astonishing 1,115 pitches 100 mph or faster, which was more than every other starting pitcher combined. He finished the year 16-5 in 30 starts, with an MLB-best 1.80 ERA (232 ERA+), 2.17 FIP, and 252 strikeouts in 174.2 innings. However, given the way the Rays sluggers crush the fastball and the issues he’s had with his heater in the postseason, Game 1 will be far from a walk in the park. His four-seamer induced a 40.2-percent whiff rate and held batters to a .174 average in the regular season, but has cratered to a 16.1-percent whiff rate while getting hit at a .364 clip in the postseason as it has lost some of its life despite holding its velocity, and that lack of whiffs is a prime culprit in why Misiorowski failed to make it out of the fifth in either of his postseason starts.

Logan Henderson was named as Game 2 starter and represents a steep drop off from The Miz. He’s had a remarkable start to his career — in 23 starts between this year and last he’s 14-3 with a 2.33 ERA (180 ERA+), 3.26 FIP, and 143 strikeouts in 123.2 innings — but has found the waters a bit choppier in the playoffs, giving up two runs (one earned) in five innings against the Padres and four runs (two earned) in four innings against the Dodgers. Milwaukee has not named a Game 3 starter, but you imagine Robert Gasser is in pole position after tossing five scoreless innings in Game 3 against Los Angeles.

The bullpen has been the real weapon on the pitching side for the Brewers this postseason, though you do wonder about the effect of fatigue as their relievers have thrown 10.2 more playoff innings than Rays relievers. They are second among the 12 playoff teams by both ERA (1.33), and FIP (2.98) and are an exciting mix of homegrown talent and shrewd trade deadline adds.

Milwaukee possesses one of the best one-two punches at the back of their bullpen in recent playoff memory. Aaron Ashby leads all postseason relievers with 12.1 IP but has yet to allow a run in six appearances while closer Trevor Megill has gone five scoreless appearances totaling 5.2 innings and secured four saves. Both pitchers operate in the upper-90s with their fastballs and figure to feature prominently in the final three if not four innings of every close game this series. The middle innings will be covered by guys like DL Hall and Antonio Senzatela, who like Ashby and Megill have not allowed a run this postseason, as well as lefty specialist JoJo Romero and ground ball guru Abner Uribe.

Tampa Bay Rays

98-64, 1st AL East
Swept Yankees in ALDS, 3-0
Defeated Guardians in ALCS, 4-2

The Rays pitching factory kept on churning in 2026, producing some of their regular and postseason’s best performers from career journeymen or other teams’ discards. Their rotation was a top-seven unit during the regular season in ERA (3.51), FIP (3.79), and fWAR (14.4) despite losing ace Shane McClanahan to injury. The relief corps on the other hand sat middle of the pack by almost every metric, but has stepped up to be one of the postseason’s stingiest bullpens

Yesterday, I noted the two-headed monster of Yandy Díaz and Junior Caminero atop the Rays lineup, and there are parallels you could draw with their rotation. Drew Rasmussen and Freddy Peralta are, without question, the two standout starting pitchers from these playoffs. Rasmussen was one of MLB’s best pitchers, seventh among qualified starters in ERA, FIP, and fWAR (5.0), and has somehow shifted into an even higher gear in the playoffs. He pitched eight scoreless innings of one-hit ball with ten strikeouts against the Yankees and then made two starts against the Guardians, allowing two runs in six innings in Game 1 and the one run in seven innings in Game 5.

Peralta has somehow pitched even better than his rotation mate. Fastball Freddy as he was affectionately known from his time with the Brewers, the Rays have taken that moniker to a new level. By adjusting his position on the rubber, having him pitch out of the stretch, and extending his release point after the Mets salary dumped him at the deadline, the Rays have his fastball firing even better than his stellar eight seasons with Milwaukee. He allowed a run in 4.2 innings against the Yankees, tossed six scoreless against the Guardians in Game 2, recorded two outs in relief in Game 4, and then twirled 5.1 innings of one-run ball two days later to wrap up ALCS MVP honors.

However, neither player will start Game 1, as that honor belongs to Nick Martinez. The well-traveled swingman settled into a starting role in his age-35 season and rewarded the Rays with a 15-6 record in 31 starts, 3.10 ERA, 3.96 FIP, and 109 strikeouts in 180 innings, his 3.6-percent walk rate the lowest in baseball. He allowed two runs in 3.2 innings against the Yankees before holding Cleveland to a run in 5.1 innings in Game 4.

The Rays bullpen mirrors the Brewers’ in protecting the lead in the final two innings. Milwaukee has Ashby and Megill, the Rays have Cam Booser and Bryan Baker. Booser is truly one of the remarkable comeback stories in MLB, retiring in 2017 before returning and pitching eight seasons in the minors. He was signed by Tampa on a minor league deal to start the year and has only gone and become their shutdown setup man in the playoffs at the age of 34. With newfound velocity on his heater, the southpaw has tossed 4.2 scoreless innings across six appearances. He then hands the ball off to the closer Baker, who has also leveraged his explosive fastball to make seven scoreless appearances and record five saves. Tampa hasn’t had to rely on its bullpen as heavily this postseason as the Brewers on account of their brilliant starters, so the extra small sample sizes skew certain metrics. For example, Griffin Jax, Ian Seymour, and Tyler Wells have been the Rays’ main strikeout threats out of the ‘pen, but you wouldn’t expect so from a quick glance at their inflated postseason ERAs.

Ominously, this Rays pitching staff looks like it has the perfect ingredients to neutralize the Brewers’ strengths. Milwaukee was the best team in baseball at not chasing and drawing walks, but Rays pitchers live in the strike zone, and between Martinez and Rasmussen boast the two starters with the lowest walk rates in all of MLB. The Brewers also struggled at times against high velocity, which between Rasmussen, Peralta, Booser, and Baker the Rays have in abundance.

The 2026 major league season all comes down to this. Two small market teams have slayed all the giants and now they’ll square off in a World Series matchup that should provide a full tour of baseball skills. Unlike some of the walk and mash offenses we’ve seen dominate the league in recent years, the Rays and Brewers do it all. We’ll see a pair of young, athletic teams displaying power, speed, some bunting and timely situation hitting, pesky at-bats and hacks from a few free swingers, the works. At the same time, the two clubs are among the leading hitters in pitching development as well, and there will be plenty of firepower on display on the mound as well.

There’s going to be a lot said about small market teams, the league’s desire for a salary cap, competitive balance, and the like, but what the Brewers and Rays really illustrate is that the smartest teams win, regardless of payroll. That doesn’t mean that a behemoth like the recent Dodgers don’t have an advantage in payroll, which the league could address without the players, but it does mean that big spending teams fail pretty often too, and the money spent doesn’t replace the need for smart acquisitions, shrewd drafting and trades, and strong player development, none of which cost a lot compared to elite free agents.

When the postseason started I was firmly in the Brewers camp, but Kevin Cash and the Rays have won me back to a degree. Cash is one of the longest tenured managers in the game at this point, and he continues to handle the Rays’ constant tweaking of strategy and roster while leading them to consistent success while competing in the AL East. On the other hand, Pat Murphy is the kind of manager that players seem ready to run through walls for, and he definitely gives off the college coach with a lifetime of motivation quotes and jokes stored up for any occasion.

Both teams are young and talented, and while the resurgence of Freddy Peralta’s game tips the pitching side of the equation a bit toward the Rays’ favor, anyone could win this thing. The positional groups match up very evenly, as do the bullpens. Aces Drew Rasmussen for the Rays and Jacob Misiorowski for the Brewers will get a lot of the headlines, but Peralta sure is a nice kicker pitching this well.

So, with the World Series kicking off tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET in Milwaukee, who’s your pick? Does it just come down to home field advantage?

For myself, I think I’m still going Brewers. They just seem to respond to every challenge so far in October, knocking off a pair of tough teams in the Padres and Dodgers to get here. It’s just a bit deeper lineup right now in my opinion, and Brewers’ closer Trevor McGill is the most dominant force in either bullpen over the last few weeks.