Category: Sports News

Rays vs Brewers World Series Game 1 simulation

Although Misiorowski entered the game with the more impressive resume, Rasmussen retired the first 14 batters he faced and didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning.

Rasmussen (1-0) struck out eight and yielded just two hits and a walk in 6⅓ innings to get the win. Lefty Cam Booser retired all five hitters he faced before giving way to Baker to close things out.

The Brewers didn't go quietly though. After getting the first two batters in the ninth, Jake Bauers and Andrew Vaughn walked around a William Contreras single to load the bases and bring the winning run to the plate. But Baker got Garrett Mitchell to fly out to right field for the final out.

Rays center fielder Jonny DeLuca was the unlikely offensive hero, doubling off Misiorowski (0-1) and scoring in the second inning, then launching a 401-foot solo homer in the fourth for the game's final run.

BOX SCORE:  Rays 3, Brewers 0

FULL PLAY-BY-PLAY: Rasmussen flirts with perfection as Rays win opener

What to watch in (the real) Game 1

▶ Scoring first is key. With both teams starting their respective aces and backing them up with stellar bullpens, runs should be at a premium throughout the series. Tampa Bay got to the Miz early, with single runs in the first and second innings.

Caminero delivered a two-out RBI double in the first to put the Rays on top. Then DeLuca doubled in the second and scored on No. 9 hitter Taylor Walls' two-out single. It turned out to be the only hit for either team with a runner in scoring position the entire game.

▶ Which Misiorowski will we see? The presumptive NL Cy Young award winner has not been quite as dominant in the playoffs as he was in the regular season, when he won 16 games and pitched to an ERA of 1.80. The trend continued in Sim Series Game 1.

The Miz did strike out 11, but he gave up those key two-out RBI hits and a solo homer to DeLuca in his seven innings of work.

Interestingly, the right-handed Misiorowski was tougher on left-handed batters during the regular season, holding them to a ridiculous .114/.189/.189 slash line − compared to the 209/.268/.314 clip he allowed vs. righties. Sure enough, the three batters who drove in runs against him in Sim Series Game 1 all hit right-handed.

▶ Outstanding bullpens. Both teams have stellar relief options, especially at the back end leading up to closers Trevor Megill for Milwaukee and Baker for Tampa Bay.

In Game 1, the Rays got 2⅔ innings of scoreless relief to back Rasmussen, while the Brewers' Aaron Ashby and Abner Uribe blanked the Rays over the final two frames. Not using Megill in this game will allow him to pitch more than one inning in Game 2 if needed.

▶ Stellar defense, especially in the outfield. The Rays boast a fleet-footed outfield of Chandler Simpson in left, DeLuca in center and Victor Mesa Jr. in right. All three of them have A range ratings in Dynasty League Baseball, which makes it extremely hard for hitters to find holes. Milwaukee found that out in only managing three hits the entire game.

The Brewers outfield is almost as good, with LF Jackson Chourio (B+ range) in left, Garrett Mitchell (B+) in center and Sal Frelick (C+) the only relative weak spot in right. Frelick is still recovering from a shoulder injury so his throwing is downgraded. (He has a +2 arm rating on a scale with -4 the best and +4 the worst.) That weakness came into play in the opening inning when Aranda scored from first base on Caminero's double to right, just beating the throw from Frelick.

Keep an eye on the Rays baserunners to see if they try to take an extra base on Frelick.

▶ Expect the unexpected. There's always a possibility something happens in a series opener that no one saw coming. DeLuca was just the kind of unlikely hero we've learned to embrace in previous World Series.

In addition in our Game 1, Brewers third baseman Joey Ortiz was injured when he fell into the dugout while chasing a foul ball in the top of the fourth. He'll miss the next two games as a result. Don't expect that specific injury to occur in the real game, but just be aware that nothing always goes as planned.

Simulate your own World Series. Get a FREE one-month subscription to Dynasty League Baseball online by going to DynastyLeagueBaseball.com, selecting the monthly option and entering code USA2 at checkout.de

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Simulated World Series 2026: Rays steal Game 1 from Brewers behind unlikely hero

For the first time since 1982, the Brewers are in the Fall Classic, set to host Game 1 on Friday, Oct. 23 at American Family Field. Their opponents, the Tampa Bay Rays, are their mirror image in so many ways: Smaller market, lower revenues, and in this Series, three star players who have suited up for both squads.

Perhaps most notably, Milwaukee’s president of baseball operations, Matt Arnold, toiled for nine years in Tampa Bay. And if there’s anything that binds these overachievers together, it’s that “culture” and “alignment” aren’t just corporate buzzwords or part of a mission statement.

No, this matchup might just feature the most immaculate vibes a World Series has ever seen.

“It’s the best environment I’ve ever played in in the big leagues,” Rays second baseman Richie Palacios, a former Cleveland Guardian and St. Louis Cardinal, tells USA TODAY Sports of his three seasons in Tampa Bay. “From the young guys coming in and the old guys not making them feel like they can’t step on toes. It’s old guys bringing the young guys in, taking them shopping, taking them to team dinners, making them feel loved so they can be comfortable. So when they do show up, they can be successful.

“We’ve got the young guys respecting the old guys. We’ve got everybody respecting each other, loving on each other, everybody hanging out outside the field.

“Be able to let your guard down. Learn where someone’s from, learn about their family, and go to battle with each other.”

To great success. The Rays won the American League East with an AL-best 98-64 record. Milwaukee, meanwhile, was the best team in baseball, winning a club-record 103 games and then stunningly sweeping the two-time champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Championship Series.

Both bear the hallmarks of progressive, analytically-inclined low-revenue teams who must innovate to survive. Yet there’s something beneath the surface, too.

“I know the Brewers culture,” says Rays starter Freddy Peralta, a seven-year Brewer traded to the New York Mets last winter and then to Tampa Bay this summer. “I know everything about them and I believe we are very similar.

“We do a lot of things where it looks like each other, kind of the same. But I am here now. This is my place now.”

Indeed, Peralta was a two-time All-Star and beloved in Milwaukee, dealt to the Mets because he was a pending free agent that the Brewers likely couldn’t afford to keep. His four months with the Mets represented, essentially, the only black mark on his resume in a nine-year major league career.

But a near-immediate turnaround occurred under vaunted Rays pitching coach Kyle Snyder. While Peralta was a star before then, the fix-up is not unlike what sluggers Jake Bauers – the NLCS MVP – and Andrew Vaughn experienced in Milwaukee.

Vaughn, chosen third overall in 2019 by the Chicago White Sox, was practically given away in 2025. The Brewers unlocked his slugging prowess and, over two seasons, posted an .849 OPS compared to .709 in Chicago.

“It’s the culture surrounding everybody from the front office down. A culture that was built so that guys just come here and buy in,” says Vaughn. “I think that’s what makes this group special – I feel like everybody bought in.

“It’s everybody. Everybody has to be on the same page. Everybody has to want the same things. I feel like this group is so tight-knit. It’s just instilled in everybody.”

Yes, that’s another well-worn phrase: Buy-in.

Brewers' secret weapon?

While the Rays and Brewers both steer hard into a be-who-you-are ethos, Milwaukee has something of a secret weapon in manager Murphy, the former college coach who has, in fact, achieved total buy-in from his club.

Even when he yanks a star player for lack of hustle, or the perception thereof. And perhaps that buy-in occurs because anyone who wouldn’t has simply been shipped elsewhere.

“It takes a certain type of player to play here,” says center fielder Garrett Mitchell. “And it starts with not making it about yourself. If you’re a guy more worried about your personal statistics, it’s not going to be the place for you.

“And the buy-in is what’s important, because all of us are willing to do what it takes to win. And we’re not putting it on our own shoulders to get it done.

“We have that trust and belief in each other.”

Mitchell and lefty reliever Aaron Ashby say belief flows naturally from Murphy and veteran outfielder Christian Yelich, who was named captain late in the regular season, then found himself sitting against a pair of lefty starters in the NLCS.

He wore it gracefully, buttressing his rep among teammates.

“If our cap is ready to do it,” says Mitchell, “you better be willing to do it, too.”

The Rays do differ from Milwaukee in one aspect: Roster stability, or lack thereof. Ten of 26 players on their ALCS roster were acquired after the start of the 2025 season, including half their pitching staff. Shoot, the Rays have traded for Marlins catchers twice in the past year (and yes, Liam Hicks and Nick Fortes have blended in seamlessly).

“When you look at the makeup of the roster, it’s guys who have been around,” says set-up man Tyler Wells, acquired from Baltimore at the August trade deadline. “Been traded for. May have not have been big pieces on their teams.

“But they really make people comfortable in their own skin. And they’re very uplifting. They really want to focus on the things you do really, really well. They don’t want to change what makes you, you.

“It gives you the freedom to go out there and produce in the way we have.”

Or, as lefty reliever Cam Booser puts it, "They treat everybody here like kings. They want everybody to be their best self every day."

Arnold, the Brewers president, notes that he was a Rays executive when they still had “Devil” attached to their name – the bad old days, in a sense. Yet general manager Andrew Friedman, now running the show with the Dodgers, hatched a franchise renaissance and mentored four executives who’d eventually run their own teams, including Arnold and Erik Neander, the man who replaced Friedman in Tampa Bay.

“It helps to have good players,” says Arnold. “When they perform well, obviously the vibes are good. I've been in situations where it's not good. I was a Devil Ray, so I know what it's like to pick first multiple times, and to have that evolution.

“One of the important things we learned there and obviously have tried to carry on hereis that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. No matter how bad it is.”

“It kind of paints a different picture right?’’ Brewers closer Trevor Megill said. “You don’t really need all the money out there to win baseball games. It kind of just matters who’s in the clubhouse and what they’re willing to do for each other.’’

So, does the fact these two small markets are playing on baseball’s biggest stage actually change the narrative that a salary cap is needed for competitive balance in the sport?

“We’ll see and worry about that in December,’’ Megill said, “when they lock us out on Dec. 1 and see how willing the owners are to lose money.’’

Make no mistake about it, the owners still want a salary cap, even if this is the eighth time in the last nine seasons the Brewers have been to the postseason, and the sixth time in the last eight years for the Rays.

“I think the system that's being proposed, which is similar to other leagues in terms of revenue-sharing system,’’ Brewers owner Mark Attanasio said, “not only will help us compete, but more importantly all of the teams with lower payrolls too – which is something also I think the fans want.’’

These two teams have a similar brand of play, almost as if they’re mirror images of one another. They bunt. They steal. They run. They play defense. And they win, despite having only two players on the field earning more than $10 million.

“It’s not always the flashiest players, the teams that spend the most money,’’ Rays infielder Ben Williamson said. “We’re an example of that showing that through hard work, and grinding, and playing the game the right way, you can get to the World Series. The Brewers are showing that, too.’’

Ironically, both teams were among the three finalists to acquire two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline. They lost out to the ultra-wealthy Dodgers, knowing the Dodgers were the only ones among the trio who could afford to keep him when he hit free agency.

Well, look at who’s in the World Series and who’s sitting home?

"This team was built, not bought," Attanasio said this week on the New York Post podcast. “It's critical to look at how we got here, and because I want to have sustained success, we had to do that by being very careful about how many prospects we gave up.’’

It’s no different than with the Rays, who not only were able to keep their top prospects, but pivoted to Freddy Peralta, who was acquired from the New York Mets. He has been one of the finest pitchers in baseball these last two months, yielding a 0.81 ERA in his last eight starts in the regular season and postseason.

“You don’t need a big market to have talented players,’’ Rays catcher Nick Fortes said, “and we’ve got a lot of really talented players on this team. We have a lot of guys that really haven’t been talked about or known throughout the year, but hopefully now people will realize there are a lot of different ways to win. We found our little pocket, and we’re winning our way, emphasizing pitching and defense.’’

And winning with the fifth-smallest payroll in baseball, with their entire team making only $30 million more this season than Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker.

“I know this is going to be something that a lot of people will focus on this off-season, two small market teams being in the World Series,’’ Fortes said, “but I think right now we’re just soaking in this moment of being in the World Series. It’s a dream for all of us.’’

Well, if a salary cap happens to come to baseball, a salary floor is coming along with it, meaning that a team like the Rays would suddenly have an extra $90 million worth of talent on their roster.

“We would really be dangerous, really dangerous,’’ Fortes said. “But we’ve been doing it this way for long, and it’s worked, so why change things?’’

Certainly, this will be the argument by the union, citing that the game hasn’t been this popular in a decade, with attendance up, TV ratings spiking, and team values surging.

So, why ruin a good thing with the Brewers and Rays showing that small markets can actually win, let alone be dominant?

“It’s been proven that you can do this in many different ways,’’ Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby said. “The money is nice, but it doesn’t mean everything. I don’t care how big your payroll is, you’ve got to have a winning culture, no matter who’s in that clubhouse.’’

Brewers pitcher Chad Patrick grew up a Chicago Cubs fan in Indiana, and vividly remembers hearing about the close camaraderie of the Cubs in 2016. They didn’t have the largest payroll, but they might have had the best clubhouse culture, winning their first World Series in 108 years that season.

“As far as the small-market them goes,’’ Patrick said, “it’s still baseball. At any moment, you know this game can switch in a hurry. There are teams that slug with their big stars, and then you have guys that small ball. We just have a different way of winning here, and it works.’’

There’s no reason why it can’t work in Minnesota, either, says Rays pitcher Jax Griffin, who spent the first 4 ½ years of his career with the Twins. Or Colorado, says Brewers reliever Antonio Senzatela, who had spent his entire career with the Rockies this summer. Or even Pittsburgh.

“There’s many versions of baseball that can win, you just have to have the right model or blueprint,’’ said Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell, who grew up a diehard Angels fan. “It’s a matter of having the right group of guys out there who want to compete, and want to win.

“There are many versions of baseball that can win. For us, being a smaller market, we’re not relying on the big free- agent splash or things like that. We do it through good drafting and trading for players that fit the mold of what it means to be a Milwaukee Brewer.

“At the end of the day, if you have the right culture that’s built off that, and have a group of players that buy into that, anything is possible.’’

Just ask Brewers veteran Dustin May, who has pitched for three iconic teams, winning a World Series championship with the Dodgers, and also pitching for the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals.

“I know there are teams that have paid a lot and they go out and win,’’ May said, “but there’s other ways to win, too. It doesn’t matter whether you spend $1 or $100, you still have to go out and do your job. I just know that when you put a lot of thought and focus into the pieces, and guys that you bring into the clubhouse, when they mesh the way they do – especially with this team – it can be very special. I mean, the Brewers do it the right way.’’

And, yes, so do the Rays, who are in the World Series for the third time in franchise history, and twice in the last seven years.

“I think it’s super special for both teams,’’ Rays outfielder Jonny DeLuca said. “Just because we don’t have the highest payroll doesn’t mean really, anything. I think people forget with how good our teams are, and what we can do on the baseball field with the talent we have.

“That’s what’s going to make this super fun to watch, two underdogs going against each other in a dogfight. I don’t know what’s going to happen with the labor thing, or whatever happens after this, but I think it’s a very good starting point for us as players.

“We have two small market teams in it, who are very competitive, and hopefully this World Series will be talked about for a long, long time.’’

Follow Bob Nightengale on X @Bnightengale.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Will this World Series save baseball? Payrolls matter not for Brewers and Rays

MLB: The World Series is getting a small-market showdown. Does size matter?

Have the Milwaukee Brewers ever won a World Series?

No. The Brewers are one of five MLB franchises without a World Series title, along with the Tampa Bay Rays, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres.

Milwaukee's lone previous World Series appearance occurred in 1982 when the Brewers were still in the American League.

Last Brewers World Series appearances

• 1982: Lost in seven games to St. Louis Cardinals

When does the World Series start?

Game 1 of the 2026 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23 at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

World Series schedule

• Game 1: Friday, Oct. 23 — 8 p.m. ET, at Milwaukee
• Game 2: Saturday, Oct. 24 — 8 p.m. ET, at Milwaukee
• Game 3: Monday, Oct. 26 — 8 p.m. ET, at Tampa Bay
• Game 4: Tuesday, Oct. 27 — 8 p.m. ET, at Tampa Bay
• Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, Oct. 28 — 8 p.m. ET, at Tampa Bay
• Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, Oct. 30 — 8 p.m. ET, at Milwaukee
• Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, Oct. 31 — 8 p.m. ET, at Milwaukee
  • *All games will be shown on FOX and FOX Deportes

World Series odds

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Have the Milwaukee Brewers ever won a World Series?

Have the Tampa Bay Rays ever won a World Series?

The Rays are one of five MLB franchises without a World Series title, along with the Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres.

Tampa Bay debuted as the Devil Rays in 1998 and made the franchise's first World Series appearance in 2008, losing to the Philadelphia Phillies. The team got back to the Fall Classic in the 2020 pandemic season, falling against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Last Rays World Series appearances

• 2008: Lost in five games to Philadelphia Phillies
• 2020: Lost in six games to Los Angeles Dodgers

When does the World Series start?

Game 1 of the 2026 World Series is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23 at American Family Field in Milwaukee.

World Series schedule

• Game 1: Friday, October 23 — 8:00 PM ET, at Milwaukee
• Game 2: Saturday, October 24 — 8:00 PM ET, at Milwaukee
• Game 3: Monday, October 26 — 8:00 PM ET
• Game 4: Tuesday, October 27 — 8:00 PM ET
• Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, October 28 — 8:00 PM ET
• Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, October 30 — 8:00 PM ET, at Milwaukee
• Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, October 31 — 8:00 PM ET, at Milwaukee
  • *All games will be shown on FOX and FOX Deportes

World Series odds

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Have the Tampa Bay Rays ever won a World Series?

MLB World Series winners by year

• 2025:Los Angeles Dodgers (def. Toronto Blue Jays)
• 2024: Los Angeles Dodgers (def. New York Yankees)
• 2023:Texas Rangers (def. Arizona Diamondbacks)
• 2022:Houston Astros (def. Philadelphia Phillies)
• 2021: Atlanta Braves (def. Houston Astros)
• 2020: Los Angeles Dodgers (def. Tampa Bay Rays)
• 2019: Washington Nationals (def. Houston Astros)
• 2018:Boston Red Sox (def. Los Angeles Dodgers)
• 2017: Houston Astros (def. Los Angeles Dodgers)
• 2016:Chicago Cubs (def. Cleveland Indians)
• 2015:Kansas City Royals (def. New York Mets)
• 2014:San Francisco Giants (def. Kansas City Royals)
• 2013: Boston Red Sox (def. St. Louis Cardinals)
• 2012: San Francisco Giants (def. Detroit Tigers)
• 2011: St. Louis Cardinals (def. Texas Rangers)
• 2010: San Francisco Giants (def. Texas Rangers)
• 2009: New York Yankees (def. Philadelphia Phillies)
• 2008: Philadelphia Phillies (def. Tampa Bay Rays)
• 2007: Boston Red Sox (def. Colorado Rockies)
• 2006: St. Louis Cardinals (def. Detroit Tigers)
• 2005:Chicago White Sox (def. Houston Astros)
• 2004: Boston Red Sox (def. St. Louis Cardinals)
• 2003: Florida Marlins (def. New York Yankees)
• 2002: Anaheim Angels (def. San Francisco Giants)
• 2001: Arizona Diamondbacks (def. New York Yankees)
• 2000: New York Yankees (def. New York Mets)
• 1999: New York Yankees (def. Atlanta Braves)
• 1998: New York Yankees (def. San Diego Padres)
• 1997: Florida Marlins (def. Cleveland Indians)
• 1996: New York Yankees (def. Atlanta Braves)
• 1995: Atlanta Braves (def. Cleveland Indians)
• 1994:No World Series played (MLB players' strike)
• 1993: Toronto Blue Jays (def. Philadelphia Phillies)
• 1992: Toronto Blue Jays (def. Atlanta Braves)
• 1991: Minnesota Twins (def. Atlanta Braves)
• 1990:Cincinnati Reds (def. Oakland Athletics)
• 1989: Oakland Athletics (def. San Francisco Giants)
• 1988: Los Angeles Dodgers (def. Oakland Athletics)
• 1987: Minnesota Twins (def. St. Louis Cardinals)
• 1986: New York Mets (def. Boston Red Sox)
• 1985: Kansas City Royals (def. St. Louis Cardinals)
• 1984: Detroit Tigers (def. San Diego Padres)
• 1983:Baltimore Orioles (def. Philadelphia Phillies)
• 1982: St. Louis Cardinals (def. Milwaukee Brewers)
• 1981: Los Angeles Dodgers (def. New York Yankees)
• 1980: Philadelphia Phillies (def. Kansas City Royals)
• 1979:Pittsburgh Pirates (def. Baltimore Orioles)
• 1978: New York Yankees (def. Los Angeles Dodgers)
• 1977: New York Yankees (def. Los Angeles Dodgers)
• 1976: Cincinnati Reds (def. New York Yankees)
• 1975: Cincinnati Reds (def. Boston Red Sox)
• 1974: Oakland Athletics (def. Los Angeles Dodgers)
• 1973: Oakland Athletics (def. New York Mets)
• 1972: Oakland Athletics (def. Cincinnati Reds)
• 1971: Pittsburgh Pirates (def. Baltimore Orioles)
• 1970: Baltimore Orioles (def. Cincinnati Reds)
• 1969: New York Mets (def. Baltimore Orioles)
• 1968: Detroit Tigers (def. St. Louis Cardinals)
• 1967: St. Louis Cardinals (def. Boston Red Sox)
• 1966: Baltimore Orioles (def. Los Angeles Dodgers)
• 1965: Los Angeles Dodgers (def. Minnesota Twins)
• 1964: St. Louis Cardinals (def. New York Yankees)
• 1963: Los Angeles Dodgers (def. New York Yankees)
• 1962: New York Yankees (def. San Francisco Giants)
• 1961: New York Yankees (def. Cincinnati Reds)
• 1960: Pittsburgh Pirates (def. New York Yankees)
• 1959: Los Angeles Dodgers (def. Chicago White Sox)
• 1958: New York Yankees (def. Milwaukee Braves)
• 1957: Milwaukee Braves (def. New York Yankees)
• 1956: New York Yankees (def. Brooklyn Dodgers)
• 1955: Brooklyn Dodgers (def. New York Yankees)
• 1954: New York Giants (def. Cleveland Indians)
• 1953: New York Yankees (def. Brooklyn Dodgers)
• 1952: New York Yankees (def. Brooklyn Dodgers)
• 1951: New York Yankees (def. New York Giants)
• 1950: New York Yankees (def. Philadelphia Phillies)
• 1949: New York Yankees (def. Brooklyn Dodgers)
• 1948: Cleveland Indians (def. Boston Braves)
• 1947: New York Yankees (def. Brooklyn Dodgers)
• 1946: St. Louis Cardinals (def. Boston Red Sox)
• 1945: Detroit Tigers (def. Chicago Cubs)
• 1944: St. Louis Cardinals (def. St. Louis Browns)
• 1943: New York Yankees (def. St. Louis Cardinals)
• 1942: St. Louis Cardinals (def. New York Yankees)
• 1941: New York Yankees (def. Brooklyn Dodgers)
• 1940: Cincinnati Reds (def. Detroit Tigers)
• 1939: New York Yankees (def. Cincinnati Reds)
• 1938: New York Yankees (def. Chicago Cubs)
• 1937: New York Yankees (def. New York Giants)
• 1936: New York Yankees (def. New York Giants)
• 1935: Detroit Tigers (def. Chicago Cubs)
• 1934: St. Louis Cardinals (def. Detroit Tigers)
• 1933: New York Giants (def. Washington Senators)
• 1932: New York Yankees (def. Chicago Cubs)
• 1931: St. Louis Cardinals (def. Philadelphia Athletics)
• 1930: Philadelphia Athletics (def. St. Louis Cardinals)
• 1929: Philadelphia Athletics (def. Chicago Cubs)
• 1928: New York Yankees (def. St. Louis Cardinals)
• 1927: New York Yankees (def. Pittsburgh Pirates)
• 1926: St. Louis Cardinals (def. New York Yankees)
• 1925: Pittsburgh Pirates (def. Washington Senators)
• 1924: Washington Senators (def. New York Giants)
• 1923: New York Yankees (def. New York Giants)
• 1922: New York Giants (def. New York Yankees)
• 1921: New York Giants (def. New York Yankees)
• 1920: Cleveland Indians (def. Brooklyn Robins)
• 1919: Cincinnati Reds (def. Chicago White Sox)
• 1918: Boston Red Sox (def. Chicago Cubs)
• 1917: Chicago White Sox (def. New York Giants)
• 1916: Boston Red Sox (def. Brooklyn Robins)
• 1915: Boston Red Sox (def. Philadelphia Phillies)
• 1914: Boston Braves (def. Philadelphia Athletics)
• 1913: Philadelphia Athletics (def. New York Giants)
• 1912: Boston Red Sox (def. New York Giants)
• 1911: Philadelphia Athletics (def. New York Giants)
• 1910: Philadelphia Athletics (def. Chicago Cubs)
• 1909: Pittsburgh Pirates (def. Detroit Tigers)
• 1908: Chicago Cubs (def. Detroit Tigers)
• 1907: Chicago Cubs (def. Detroit Tigers)
• 1906: Chicago White Sox (def. Chicago Cubs)
• 1905: New York Giants (def. Philadelphia Athletics)
• 1904:No World Series played (boycott by NL champion NY Giants)
• 1903: Boston Americans (def. Pittsburgh Pirates)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Full list of MLB World Series winners by year will welcome new team

2026 World Series schedule

• Game 1: Friday, October 23, 8:00 PM ET at Milwaukee
• Game 2: Saturday, October 24, 8:00 PM ET at Milwaukee
• Game 3: Monday, October 26, 8:00 PM ET at Tampa Bay
• Game 4: Tuesday, October 27, 8:00 PM ET at Tampa Bay
• Game 5 (if necessary): Wednesday, October 28, 8:00 PM ET at Tampa Bay
• Game 6 (if necessary): Friday, October 30, 8:00 PM ET at Milwaukee
• Game 7 (if necessary): Saturday, October 31, 8:00 PM ET at Milwaukee
  • *All games air on FOX and FOX Deportes

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The history of the Milwaukee Brewers' ball-in-glove logo

Baseball the way it oughta be

The Rays strike out less than any team in baseball - and led the majors with 45 sacrifice bunts. The Brewers were fifth with 37 – and fifth in stolen bases, with 162.

“I feel like if you want to see great baseball – you want to see all facets of the game, small ball and hitting homers, great pitching, great defense – I feel like this is a World Series for you. A style in which the game was originally invented to be played. I feel like this is a great World Series to watch.”

-Chandler Simpson, Rays outfielder

Pass the baton

Don’t call it small ball. Both teams have plenty of ways to beat you offensively yet also carry potentially dominant starting pitching – from the towering Misiorowski to an old friend the Brewers know well: Rays Game 3 starter Freddy Peralta, who spent nine seasons in Milwaukee.

"It will be an old-fashioned baseball game. Obviously, both teams are capable of hitting the home run, having the big moment. But you’re going to see a lot more team baseball. I like to call it California baseball – I grew up with bunting, hit-and-runs. Both teams are very capable of doing a lot of things.

“I’m lucky to get a front row seat to the Miz. But the old teammate, Freddy – I know how much this series is going to mean to him. Hopefully we get the best of him, but I’d like to see him pitch this series.”

-Robert Gasser, Brewers left-hander

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Lunchpail guys

Jake Bauers, the NLCS MVP, cycled through five organizations before sticking with the Brewers. Half the Rays’ pitching staff was not with the club at the start of 2025 and their ace, Drew Rasmussen, has undergone three major arm surgeries.

“I feel like there’s a lot of personalities within this team that relate to fans in general and casual fans. I look around and I see a bunch of guys where nothing was given to them. They worked hard for every single thing they’ve ever had.”

-Cedric Mullins, Rays outfielder

No need for the longball

Sure, Junior Caminero has hit 87 home runs the past two seasons. The Brewers have five guys with at least 18. Yet the teams’ respective pitching staffs have given up the third-fewest (Brewers) and ninth-fewest (Rays) home runs to opponents. Lock in.

“I think you’re going to get some of the best baseball in this series. You think about a lot of these teams, it’s a lot more slug, this and that. Us and them, we just match up really good against each other. I think it’s going to be a lot of baseball, instead of a lot of home runs.

“I’m just ready to be a part of it and battle our butts off to win a World Series.”

-Chad Patrick, Brewers right-hander

Small markets, huge stars

There’s just one player on either squad – Brewers veteran Christian Yelich – making more than $20 million per season. The Brewers hail from the 38th-largest market in the country, while the Rays’ region is bifurcated geographically. Yet the Rays eliminated the Yankees and the Brewers knocked out the Dodgers and they have plenty of stars in their own right.

“Just appreciating the game of baseball. Two smaller-market, quote-unquote small-ball teams. There’s going to be a lot of really good pitching, a lot of really good defense. Just really appreciating the game of baseball as a whole. People will really enjoy it.

“So many of our guys are so exciting to watch. (Second baseman) Richie) Palacios is having a great postseason. Chandler is lightning in a bottle. Junior is a highlight anytime he steps on the field. Any of our pitchers – they’re all doing great. “On the other side, you’ve got Misiorowski throwing 100 all the time. Brice Turang – what a great player. It’s going to be a good series to watch.”

-Garrett Cleavinger, Rays left-hander

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why watch the 2026 World Series? Let Rays and Brewers players explain