Just days ago, the Tampa Bay Rays were trailing the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS two games to one. Three straight wins later, they're back in the World Series for the second time in seven years and the third time in franchise history.
Which means that now, our 2026 Fall Classic is officially set. And while it might not be the big-market showdown of Rob Manfred's dreams, it should be absolutely box-office baseball, as the two best teams of this season square off to try and make franchise history. Let's dive in.
Updated MLB playoff bracket after Rays advance to the World Series
And then there were two. The Milwaukee Brewers punched their ticket to the World Series seemingly eons ago, dispatching of the Los Angeles Dodgers in a shocking sweep. Now that the Rays have knocked off the Guardians in the ALCS, our World Series matchup is set.
- World Series: Tampa Bay Rays (AL champs) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (NL champs)
It's not all that often that the top seed in each league meets in the Fall Classic; baseball's postseason is notoriously unpredictable. But these teams won 98 and 103 games in the regular season, respectively, and led the AL and NL more or less wire-to-wire. They were the best in baseball, and they proved as much in October. Now it's time to see which will make history and capture their franchise's first-ever World Series title.
Full World Series schedule: Milwaukee will be rocking for Game 1
We'll have a few days of waiting: Game 1 is set for Friday, Oct. 23, with first pitch from American Family Field in Milwaukee at 8 p.m. ET. The series will follow the traditional 2-3-2 format, with days off for travel after Games 2 and 5. Games 1, 2, 6 and 7 will be in Milwaukee, with Games 3-5 in Tampa.
Game | Location | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 | American Family Field | Friday, Oct. 23 | 8 p.m. ET |
Game 2 | American Family Field | Saturday, Oct. 24 | 8 p.m. ET |
Game 3 | Tropicana Field | Monday, Oct. 26 | 8 p.m. ET |
Game 4 | Tropicana Field | Tuesday, Oct. 27 | 8 p.m. ET |
Game 5 | Tropicana Field | Wednesday, Oct. 28 | 8 p.m. ET |
Game 6 | American Family Field | Friday, Oct. 30 | 8 p.m. ET |
Game 7 | American Family Field | Saturday, Oct. 31 | 8 p.m. ET |
The Rays are grateful for the break, as it will allow them to reset their pitching staff and line ace Drew Rasmussen up to face off against Jacob Misiorowski in Game 1. Clinching on Monday also allows Freddy Peralta to potentially get the ball in Game 2 on Saturday on full rest, with Nick Martinez likely behind him in Game 3.
Of course, the last thing the Brewers need is more rest. They clinched the NLCS in Game 4 last Thursday, Oct. 15, meaning they've already been at home for four days. By the time Game 1 of the World Series rolls around, it'll have been over a week since they last played a competitive game. Rust is overblown this time of year, but it's still something to monitor.
How to watch the 2026 World Series
This year's World Series will be broadcast exclusively on FOX.
- Dates: Oct. 23-Oct. 31
- TV channel: FOX
- Streaming: FOX One, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live Sports
You can also stream all the action on FOX One, provided you have a Fox One subscription ($19.99/month) or a valid cable login. You can also stream FOX through a variety of platforms, from YouTube TV to Hulu to Sling TV — all of which have free trials for new customers.
Pitching and power will define Brewers-Rays matchup
Suffice to say that runs are going to be at a premium in this series. Milwaukee ranked second in baseball in team ERA during the regular season, while the Rays were seventh. With Misiorowski, Logan Henderson and the best bullpen in baseball on one side and Rasmussen, Peralta, Martinez and All-Star closer Bryan Baker on the other, these teams have arms for days.
As such, it's going to be awfully hard to string together rallies — which means the team that finds a way to access some power will be at a distinct advantage. Neither team played much long ball during the regular season; both ranked in the bottom third of the league in homers, and neither ranked in the top 10 in slugging percentage. But the Brewers actually outslugged the big, bad Dodgers in the NLCS, and the Rays pulled away from Cleveland when their big bats (Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda) finally found the power stroke.
There won't be a ton of homers in this series. But whichever team has the most will almost certainly be hoisting the Commissioner's Trophy when all is said and done. If you're trying to play small ball against Abner Uribe, good luck.
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