The 2026 World Series is set to begin tonight, as the Milwaukee Brewers host the Tampa Bay Rays. Both franchises are searching for their first-ever championship.
Milwaukee won a franchise-record 103 games, while Tampa Bay finished with 98 wins and reached the Fall Classic for the third time in franchise history.
Here are four bold predictions for the series.
MORE:2026 World Series will be just second of its kind in past 100 years
The home team wins every game
This World Series prediction has the Brewers winning all of their games at American Family Field and the Rays taking care of business at home. Milwaukee wins Games 1 and 2 before the series shifts to Tampa Bay, where the Rays win Games 3, 4, and 5. The Brewers then return home and win Games 6 and 7 to capture the championship.
The Brewers enter the matchup with the better regular-season record and home-field advantage after winning 103 games. Tampa Bay won 98 games and enters the series after sweeping the Yankees and defeating Cleveland in six games in the ALCS.
Junior Caminero hits three home runs
Junior Caminero is one of the biggest stars in the World Series and could be in line for a huge performance against Milwaukee. The Rays slugger hit 42 home runs during the regular season, ranking among MLB’s elite power hitters.
Caminero also finally broke through in the postseason during the ALCS, launching a clutch playoff homer in Tampa Bay’s series-clinching victory over Cleveland.
The prediction is that the 23-year-old carries that momentum into the Fall Classic and hits three home runs against the Brewers.
Christian Yelich hits .400
Christian Yelich could be one of Milwaukee’s most important offensive players throughout the series. Although he is no longer their star player, he is their captain and the team’s longest-tenured player. The veteran will step up when it matters most, and he should be in the starting lineup every game as the Rays feature a right-handed-heavy starting rotation.
The prediction is that Yelich puts together an outstanding World Series, hitting .400 across the seven-game series and helping Milwaukee finish the job.
The series goes seven games, with every game decided by two runs or fewer
The boldest prediction is that the World Series goes the full seven games, with neither team able to create much separation at any point in the series.
Every game is predicted to be decided by two runs or fewer, creating a Fall Classic filled with late-inning drama, tight pitching and high-leverage situations. The matchup has the ingredients for that type of series, with Milwaukee bringing a dominant bullpen and a deep pitching staff while Tampa Bay has relied on strong pitching from Drew Rasmussen and Freddy Peralta.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —