MIAMI, Oct. 23 (UPI) -- MLB's best two teams will fight for their first World Series title starting Friday when the Milwaukee Brewers host the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1.
The first pitch of the 2026 Fall Classic is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT at American Family Field. The matchup will be the first World Series game held in Milwaukee since 1982. Each game of the best-of-seven game series will air at 8 p.m. on Fox.
"I respect the hell out of them," Brewers manager Pat Murphy told reporters Thursday, when asked about the Rays. "They've done an incredible jobs of winning baseball games."
The least-expensive ticket price for Game 1 was $2,154 on the secondary market as of Thursday morning. The least-expensive ticket for Game 3, the first game in St. Petersburg, Fla., was $764.
"I've been incredibly impressed with the way our entire roster has handled the intensity of all of these games we've played," Rays manager Kevin Cash said. "I know they're excited and they'll be pretty amped up and [Friday] will probably be really, really loud in the other team's favor.
"But we'll take that all in and know we are going to return the favor when we get back to the Trop for Game 3."
The Brewers, who posted an MLB-best and franchise-record 103-59 regular-season mark, are favored in the series. Oddsmakers expect the title series to go six games.
But the Rays, who last hosted a World Series game in 2008, most likely won't go quietly. They finished their 2026 campaign with an American League-best 98-64 record. They tied the Brewers for the best batting average (.258) in baseball and boast one of the speediest squads in the game.
The Rays, who struck out an MLB-low 1,145 times this season, led the American League in stolen bases with 164, just two more than the Brewers' total. The Rays trailed only the Brewers in total hits -- 1,422 to 1,405.
From a pitching standpoint, the Brewers also were among the best in the game. They led the National League with 3.51 ERA. Their .221 batting average against and 1,186 hits allowed were the second-best marks in MLB.
The Rays' pitching staff ranked fourth in batting average against (.229) and hits allowed (1,235).
This postseason, the Brewers led MLB with 10 home runs and hit a league-best .250. The Rays ranked third with a .232 average and seven homers.
"They've got similar talent," Murphy said. "They try to beat you in different ways, which is similar."
Designated hitter Yandy Diaz, first baseman Jonathan Aranada, third baseman Junior Caminero, catcher Liam Hicks, second baseman Richie Palacios and outfielder Chandler Simpson have been among the Rays' playoffs heroes at the plate. They recorded at least four RBIs apiece this postseason.
Left fielder Jackson Chourio, center fielder Garrett Mitchell, first baseman Jake Bauers and catcher William Contreras were among the offensive stars for the Brewers during their run to the World Series.
Contreras' three playoff homers are tied for the second-most in MLB. Chourio and Mitchell also swatted two homers apiece this postseason. Bauers' six RBIs trail only Chourio's seven for the most among Brewers sluggers.
Second baseman Brice Turang, who recorded a .563 on-base percentage en route to NLCS MVP honors, is among other Brewers to watch.
Pitching-wise, the Brewers will turn to ace flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski, who eclipsed 105 mph with his fastball this season, in Game 1. He led MLB with a 1.80 ERA this season and logged a 3.24 mark this postseason.
"It's an honor to be in this situation and try to propel the team to win," Misiorowski said.
The Rays, who were led by Cy Young candidate Drew Rasmussen this season, will start Nick Martinez in the World Series opener.
"It's exciting," Martinez said. "As a team, as a staff, we are confident in whoever we call up to the mound. It fell on me. My job is to rack up as many outs as we can and keep us in this ballgame."
Murphy will manage at his first World Series, while manager Kevin Cash takes the Rays to the title series for a second time. His Rays lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in six games in the 2020 title series, which featured fan attendance limitations and a neutral field due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cash expects a home-field advantage to aid the Rays' effort this time around.
"2020 was as special as any season I've been a part of," Cash said last week after the Rays won the ALCS. "But saying that, we didn't have 40,000 people behind us. Excited to see what those 40,000 people bring in Games 3, 4 and 5."
World Series schedule
All times EDT
Friday
Game 1: Rays at Brewers at 8 p.m. on Fox
Saturday
Game 2: Rays at Brewers at 8 p.m. on Fox
Monday
Game 3: Brewers at Rays at 8 p.m. on Fox
Tuesday
Game 4: Brewers at Rays at 8 p.m. on Fox
Wednesday
Game 5 (if necessary): Brewers at Rays at 8 p.m. on Fox
Oct. 30
Game 6 (if necessary): Rays at Brewers at 8 p.m. on Fox
Oct. 31
Game 7 (if necessary): Rays at Brewers at 8 p.m. on Fox