It took a while, but the Milwaukee Brewers now know who they'll face in the World Series. They'll take on the Tampa Bay Rays, who've defeated the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Championship Series.
The Brewers had already clinched their World Series trip. Milwaukee completed a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. As a result, they've won their first NL pennant in franchise history.
The World Series will begin on October 23. The Brewers, via better regular-season record, will start the series on their home field. They'll host Games 1, 2, 6, and 7.
Brewers-Rays World Series a Battle of MLB's Best Teams
It's not surprising that the top two teams in each league are in the Fall Classic. The Brewers won 103 games during the regular season, the Rays won 98. Sometimes the postseason can be random to the point where the best teams don't necessarily advance. But that won't be the case in 2026.
It will be the first time since 2024 that the team with the best record in the National League played the team with the best record in the American League. The team with the superior regular-season record has won all 10 postseason series played so far.
The underlying theme between the two teams is despite lower payrolls, they are among the best at identifying overlooked talent. Based on Cot's Contract figures, the Competitive Balance Tax payrolls for the Brewers and Rays are $154.7 million and $112.9 million respectively.
That's how the two organizations have been able to take down the biggest spenders in the postseason. The Brewers defeated the Dodgers and the Rays took down the Yankees in lopsided series.
The 2026 World Series should offer a showcase of what two teams that were excellent at overcoming payroll disparity can do. The Brewers certainly believe their culture will continue to make a difference, especially as they face a team who have a similar identity to them.
Underlying Subplots to Brewers-Rays World Series
This series should feature some pretty strong storylines. Two of the Rays starting pitchers were traded by the Brewers this decade. Drew Rasmussen was traded after the 2021 season and Freddy Peralta after 2025. Those two starters are projected to return to American Family Field for Games 1 and 2 of the World Series.
One intriguing matchup in this World Series will be Jacob Misiorowski vs. Junior Caminero. The fastest pitcher in velocity takes on the fastest hitter in bat speed. Caminero has the highest bat speed measurement at 79.4 MPH, and the second-highest 75+ rate behind Jordan Walker. Those two will first face each other in Game 1.
Both teams have excellent pitchers and a strong bullpen. On paper, this could be one of the lowest-scoring World Series matchups. The lowest runs per game was in 1966, when the Baltimore Orioles and Dodgers combined to score 3.75 runs per game.
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