A matchup few saw coming
Milwaukee hosts Tampa Bay on Friday night to begin the best-of-seven World Series, a pairing of clubs that built winning seasons on modest budgets and knocked out wealthier opponents. It is the first championship series since 1980 to feature two franchises still seeking their first title, and the first played entirely indoors. The Brewers return to the Series after 44 years, while the Rays are making their third appearance.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6][S7][S8]
Both pennant winners advanced by sweeping: Milwaukee eliminated the two-time champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, and Tampa Bay swept the New York Yankees in an American League Division Series. As of Aug. 31 the Brewers ranked 19th in payroll and the Rays 25th, the first time since 1991 that both Series participants sat in the bottom half of spending. Milwaukee, the smallest market in the majors, could become the first small-market champion since Kansas City in 2015.[S1]
Misiorowski's velocity in the spotlight
Jacob Misiorowski, a 24-year-old right-hander in his first full major league season, threw 1,115 pitches at 100 mph or above in 2026, far beyond the previous high of 673 set by Jordan Hicks in 2018 since tracking began. His hardest pitch, 105.5 mph, came against the Chicago Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong on June 27. He is positioned to surpass the 101.1 mph mark for a Series starter set by the Mets' Noah Syndergaard in 2015 and possibly the overall Series record of 103.2 mph by Aroldis Chapman in 2016.[S1]
His postseason outings have been shorter than his regular-season form suggested. Misiorowski failed to complete the fifth inning in either of his first two playoff starts, and opponents swung at 94 of his 182 pitches, fouling off 51. Manager Pat Murphy acknowledged his pitcher has not been at his sharpest and said hitters are targeting a specific zone, adding that every pitcher eventually gets exposed that way.[S1]
Small ball, big stage
These teams score differently from the power-heavy norm. Milwaukee produced a major league-low 32.1% of its runs on home runs, and Tampa Bay was second-lowest at 34.4%, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Rays struck out less than any of the 30 clubs and recorded 45 sacrifice bunts, the most by an American League team since 2015. Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said a roster built around sluggers would not bunt and steal as his club does, and argued his team has already made bunting fashionable.[S1]
Tampa Bay's Nick Martinez, a 36-year-old right-hander on his fourth major league team, gets the Game 1 start, a decision that gives Drew Rasmussen extra rest before Game 2 and Freddy Peralta before Game 3. Martinez, nicknamed El Presidente by teammates, organizes group dinners in every road city; on Wednesday he took the Rays to Carnevor, a Milwaukee steakhouse. He said bringing players together builds off-field chemistry that carries onto the field.[S1]
Robot umpires and the rest question
This is the first World Series using the Automated Ball-Strike System, and postseason challenge results have shifted. Batters have won 63% of their appeals, 40 of 63, up from 49% in the regular season. Catchers have succeeded on 58% of challenges, 58 of 99, slightly below their 59% regular-season rate, while pitchers are 1 for 1 after Tampa Bay's Griffin Jax made the only challenge. The overall postseason success rate of 60% exceeds the 54% recorded in the regular season.[S1]
Tampa Bay's hitters have not challenged a call this postseason. Milwaukee's batters have won four of seven, including a 2-for-2 showing by Jake Bauers. Brewers catcher William Contreras has won 60% of his challenges, 12 of 20, and Rays catcher Liam Hicks 67%, 8 of 12.[S1]
