Milwaukee Brewers capture first World Series title, defeating Tampa Bay Rays
The Brewers won the 2026 World Series in five games, overcoming the American League-leading Rays, who posted a .182 batting average and struggled against Milwaukee's pitching.
Milwaukee clinched its first franchise World Series championship on Wednesday, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 in Game 5 to close the best-of-seven series. The Brewers completed a dominant postseason run, outscoring the Rays 16-5 over five games.
Tampa Bay closer Bryan Baker said the Brewers were "one of the best teams I've seen at any level, in any sport," adding that they had "no holes" and deserved credit for their performance. Rays ace Drew Rasmussen called Milwaukee "the best team I've ever played against."
The Rays entered the series as the American League's top regular-season team, finishing with 98 wins and sweeping the Yankees in the ALDS before defeating the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS. However, their offense was stifled in the World Series, recording only 12 runs and posting a .182/.224/.242 slash line, the third-lowest OPS in a five-game series in history.
Milwaukee’s starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski threw 5 ⅔ scoreless innings before exiting with a calf cramp, while the Brewers’ bullpen limited Tampa Bay to a single run in the first four innings. Relievers JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill combined for eight of the final nine outs, securing the victory.
Rays manager Kevin Cash praised Rasmussen’s effort, noting the pitcher logged 12 outs in Game 5 despite a short-rest start. Cash also highlighted the difficulty of facing Milwaukee’s "elite starting pitching and elite bullpen," describing it as the toughest challenge his team faced.
Both clubs exceeded preseason expectations, with the Brewers and Rays emerging from small-market payrolls to the championship stage. The Rays remain one of four franchises still seeking their first World Series title, while Milwaukee’s triumph marks a historic milestone for the organization.