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World Series Opens With Rays at Brewers, Both Chasing First Franchise Title

The 2026 World Series opens Friday night at American Family Field, where the 103-win Brewers host the 98-win Rays. Neither club has ever won the World Series, and Game 1 pits Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski against Tampa Bay's Nick Martinez.

By admin Oct. 23, 2026 · 7:47 PM ET 2 min read

A packed baseball stadium at dusk with the retractable roof open and the field lit for a World Series game

The 2026 World Series opens Friday night at American Family Field in Milwaukee, where the Brewers host the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1, with first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Neither club has ever won the World Series, so the Fall Classic will crown a first-time champion in the coming days.

Milwaukee (103-59) finished with the best record in baseball, won the NL Central and carries home-field advantage into the series. The Brewers swept the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-0 in the NLCS and arrive on a five-game winning streak, according to Fox Sports.

Fans filling a baseball stadium at night, cheering under the floodlights before first pitch

Tampa Bay (98-64) won the AL East and the best record in its league. The Rays swept the New York Yankees in the ALDS, then rallied from 2-1 down to beat the Cleveland Guardians in the ALCS, according to Total Apex Sports.

Pitching matchup: Misiorowski vs. Martinez

Milwaukee hands Game 1 to Jacob Misiorowski, who went 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA and a major-league-leading 252 strikeouts, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Tampa Bay starts 35-year-old Nick Martinez, who went 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA.

A pitcher in a grey uniform winding up on the mound at night in front of a packed stadium

Both pitching staffs have carried October. Milwaukee posted a 2.02 ERA across eight postseason games, while Tampa Bay held opponents to three runs or fewer in eight of its nine playoff games. At the plate, Milwaukee catcher William Contreras enters hitting .367 with three home runs, and Tampa Bay’s Richie Palacios leads the Rays at .364, per Fox Sports.

A first-time champion is guaranteed

The Brewers’ only previous trip to the Fall Classic came in 1982, when they were still an American League club. The Rays reached the World Series in 2008 and 2020 and lost both times, according to the Herald-Tribune.

A scuffed white baseball resting in a worn leather glove on a dugout bench at night

Game 2 is Saturday night in Milwaukee. The series then shifts to St. Petersburg, Florida, for Games 3 through 5 on Oct. 26 to 28 if needed, with Games 6 and 7 back in Milwaukee on Oct. 30 and 31 if needed, all starting at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.

A low-angle view of a baseball diamond glowing under the floodlights at night

Reporting based on coverage by Fox Sports, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

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