For only the second time in 106 years, baseball will crown a first-time champion to settle the 2026 World Series. The Milwaukee Brewers (103-59) led the majors in victories en route to the National League pennant. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays (98-64) captured the American League pennant with the AL’s best record and third-best overall in baseball.
The Brewers are a -165 favorite to win the World Series, while the Rays are an underdog at +145 according to BetMGM. At the start of Spring Training, the Brewers (+2500) and the Rays (+3000) were outside the top 10 on BetMGM’s futures board.
After a 44-year drought, the Brewers return to the World Series for the first time since 1982, when they played in the American League, and gas cost $1.30.
The Rays joined the MLB as an expansion team in 1998 when they were originally known as the Devil Rays. They made their World Series debut in 2008, but lost. Kevin Cash makes his second trip to the World Series as the manager of the Rays. They clinched the AL pennant in 2020, but lost to the Dodgers in six games during the pandemic World Series.
Milwaukee Brewers: William Contreras, the Miz, and Lights-Out Bullpen
Regular Season: 103-59
Postseason: 7-1
Preseason Odds: +2500
Current Odds: -165
The Brewers defeated the San Diego Padres in four games to win the NLDS, with three games decided by one run.
Even with the best record in baseball and securing the #1 seed in the NL, the Los Angeles Dodgers were still the favorite to win a third-straight championship. The Brewers avenged their sweep in the 2025 NLCS by sweeping the Dodgers this year to capture the pennant.
The Brewers are an unconventional team led by Pat Murphy, who embraces an old-school philosophy in an analytics-driven world. Murphy outwits opposing managers because he ignores math nerds and sticks with his gut instinct. That unpredictable yet aggressive approach led the Brewers to their first World Series berth in 44 years.
Brewers Bats: Small Ball Chaos
Unlike most teams, the Brewers are not obsessed with launch angles and home runs. They finished last in the majors in home runs during the regular season, preferring to manufacture runs through clutch hitting, bunts, and stolen bases. Their disciplined hitters love to work deep counts and draw walks. They focus on contact and don’t chase bad pitches. The Brewers also led the league in opposite-field hits, living up to the classic Yogi Berra adage, “Hit ’em where they ain’t!”
Catcher Will Contreras leads the Brewers this postseason with three home runs and five RBI while slashing .367/.457/.700. Cooper Pratt has nine hits with a .310 batting average. Outfielders Jackson Chourio and Garrett Mitchell both smacked two home runs in eight games.
Jake Bauers won the NLCS MVP thanks to several key at-bats. In Game 2, he gutted out a 12-pitch walk against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto to set up a huge rally. In Game 3, Bauers crushed a go-ahead home run in an 11-pitch at-bat that fans will talk about for the next 50 years. After the Brewers fell behind 4-0 in Game 4, Bauers spearheaded the comeback with a two-run double and later drew a bases-loaded walk in the series-clinching win.
Brewers Pitching: Miz the Flamethrower, Dominant Bullpen
The Brewers have six come-from-behind victories and trailed in every single game in the NLCS against the Dodgers. Their bullpen has been unhittable in late innings while their lineup chips away at the lead.
The quartet of Trevor Megill, Aaron Ashby, Abner Uribe, and DL Hall anchors a bullpen that boasts a 1.33 ERA and .472 OPS. Ashby has been phenomenal in six appearances. He’s 1-0 with two saves and a 0.57 WHIP, and has yet to allow a run in 12.1 innings. Meanwhile, closer Megill (1-0, four saves) has also not yielded any runs this postseason. He has a 0.53 WHIP, and batters are hitting .056 against him.
Cy Young favorite Jacob Misiorowski posted a 16-5 record in 30 regular-season starts. The hard-throwing Misiorowski led the majors with a 1.80 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, and 252 strikeouts. Including last postseason, Misiorowski is 2-1 with a 2.21 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 27 strikeouts in 20.1 innings.
Misiorowski takes the mound in Game 1. Logan Henderson will start Game 2. Robert Gasser is the most likely starter in Game 3.
Contreras is not only the Brewers’ best hitter, but he’s also one of the best catchers in baseball. He calls an exquisite game behind the plate, which is why the Brewers’ staff led all playoff teams with a 2.03 ERA. Contreras also led all catchers in ABS challenges with a 5-for-7 success rate.
Tampa Bay Rays: Small-Market Monsters
Regular Season: 98-64
Postseason: 7-2
Preseason Odds: +3000
Current Odds: +145
The Rays swept their AL East rivals, the New York Yankees, in the ALDS. After falling behind the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 in the ALCS, the Rays won three in a row to clinch the AL pennant and return to the World Series for the second time since 2020.
The Rays don’t mind close contests. They were 25-14 in one-run games, which led the majors.
The Rays reached the World Series with the third-lowest payroll in baseball at $95.6 million. In comparison, they easily toppled the Yankees, who were third overall with $308.3 million.
Rays Bats: Power Trio of Diaz, Aranda, and Caminero
Yandy Diaz, Jonathan Aranda, and Junior Caminero are a dangerous trio at the heart of Tampa’s lineup. The trio combined for 86 home runs in the regular season, including a team-high 42 by Caminero. Although they were limited to just four homers in nine playoff games, all three are tough outs.
Diaz leads the Rays this postseason with two home runs while slashing .308/.341/.564. Caminero finally connected on his first playoff home run in the pennant-clinching Game 6 victory in the ALCS.
Rays Pitchers: Ace Rasmussen, Fastball Freddy, and Baker the Closer
While the Brewers have a bullpen edge, the Rays counter with a formidable starting rotation with Drew Rasmussen, Freddy Peralta, and Nick Martinez.
Rasmussen one-hit the Yankees in the ALDS and has been sensational this postseason. He’s 2-0 in three starts with 23 strikeouts in 21 innings, plus a 1.29 ERA and 0.76 WHIP. Peralta has been equally impressive at 2-0 in three starts with a 1.08 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. Martinez is 1-0 in two starts with a 3.00 ERA and 1.11 WHIP.
The Rays’ strong bullpen has delivered in big games. Set-up man Cam Booser has yet to allow an earned run, posting a 0.00 ERA and 0.43 WHIP. Closer Bryan Baker tied for the MLB lead with 41 saves this season. In the playoffs, Baker saved five games with a 0.43 WHIP and zero runs scored.
Prediction: Brewers in 6
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