2026 World Series: Rays-Brewers Schedule, Preview, and How to Watch with Sling
A first-time champion will be crowned as the Tampa Bay Rays face the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2026 World Series. Here's a preview, schedule, and how to watch with Sling.
If you’re exhausted with the same old major market teams reaching/winning the MLB World Series, we have great news: a first-time champion will be crowned in 2026. The Tampa Bay Rays finished off the Cleveland Guardians in six games in the ALCS to reach the team’s third World Series. They’ll face the top-seeded Milwaukee Brewers in the Fall Classic, marking their first World Series appearance since losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games in 1982.
Not only are both franchises a model for small market teams across the MLB, they are breaking through at a time when current labor standards are heavily weighted towards teams who spend big in major media markets (this is the first World Series since 2016 that won’t feature a team from either Texas or California).
With the future of the MLB uncertain after these seven games, this could be the last pro baseball we get to see for a long time. Enjoy it. Here’s the full 2026 World Series schedule, a preview of the matchup and rosters, and how to watch World Series baseball with Sling.
How to watch the 2026 World Series with Sling
The 2026 World Series will air exclusively on FOX, which is available on Sling with a subscription to Sling Blue or the new Sling Select package in limited markets, including both Milwaukee and Tampa. You can also subscribe to either package, then watch via the FOX One app by signing into FOX One using your Sling credentials. Check out the markets with FOX in Sling Blue / Sling Select below and subscribe to Sling Select to watch the World Series for the best price on Sling.
Now here’s the schedule and a closer look at both teams.
MLB 2026 World Series on FOX
All games available in Tampa and Milwaukee and in select markets with Sling Blue and Sling Select!
2026 World Series Schedule
2026 World Series Preview: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Milwaukee Brewers
https://youtu.be/XtApu9cev6E?si=7G41grAl86eRsHXi
The storyline for this World Series is small market supremacy. No matter who wins, this World Series champion will have the lowest payroll of any champion since the 1994-95 MLB work stoppage. This will also be the first World Series since 1980 with two teams both in search of their first title, as well as the first World Series between two expansion franchises (the Brewers joined the MLB in 1969; the “Devil” Rays joined in 1998).
Despite their lack of championship pedigree, luck and good fortune had very little with these teams making the World Series. The top-seeded Brewers were in the NLCS last season and are coming off a new franchise record for wins (103 to be exact). The Rays were the top-seeded team in the American League and while this is their second World Series appearance since 2020, the team has been completely overhauled; Yandy Díaz is the only player remaining from Tampa Bay’s 2020 World Series roster. It’s hard to overstate how impressive this is. Despite losing stars like Randy Arozarena, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow, the Rays rebuilt a pennant-winning roster that came out tops in the most competitive division in the American League.
Like all the best teams, the Rays and Brewers got here with a balance of clutch hitting and elite pitching. For Milwaukee, their pitching ace is Jacob Misiorowski, who led all of MLB in both ERA and strikeouts, becoming the first Brewers starter ever to post a sub-2.00 ERA across 20-plus starts. He and Logan Henderson form a nasty 1-2 punch, backing a bullpen that has been lights-out in October. At the plate, NLCS MVP Jake Bauers had multiple at-bats that will be taught by hitting coaches for time eternal. Along with left fielder Jackson Chourio and catcher William Contreras, the Brewers’ bats have epitomized clutch play this postseason; six of their seven postseason wins have been come-from-behind.
As for the Rays, Drew Rasmussen is expected to start Game 1, and he’s been lights out, posting an 11-0 record with a 1.73 ERA across 15 starts since the All-Star break. There’s also personal motivation, as Milwaukee drafted and then traded Rasmussen five years ago. The Rays also bolstered their staff at the trade deadline by acquiring former Brewer RHP Freddy Peralta, who just won ALCS MVP. In terms of hitting, the Rays’ sustained success is built on their peerless scouting. This year’s standout was 23-year-old third baseman Junior Caminero, who posted a crazy stat line (.276/.360/.524, 42 HR, 101 RBI, 100 R, and .885 OPS) while playing in all 162 games.
While this series may lack some of the juice behind big market teams with superstar players, it should be a competitive, hard-fought series by two teams who have already perfected the small market salary savvy that could soon become the MLB norm.
2026 Milwaukee Brewers World Series roster
Projected Game 1 lineup
Key players
- Jacob Misiorowski (RHP): 16-5, 1.80 ERA, 174⅔ IP, 252 K, 44 BB, 0.80 WHIP, .157 opp avg. Led MLB in ERA, strikeouts, WHIP and opponents’ average.
- Jake Bauers (1B): Team-leading 26 HR and 75 RBI, then won NLCS MVP.
- Jackson Chourio (LF): .291, 25 HR, 75 RBI, 23 SB in 522 at-bats despite missing the first month with a hand fracture. Still just 22.
- Brice Turang (2B): A 20-homer, 100-RBI season (team RBI leader) with his usual speed and elite defense.
2026 Tampa Bay Rays World Series roster
Projected Game 1 lineup
Key players
- Drew Rasmussen (RHP): 16-5, 2.67 ERA, 172 IP, 174 K, 0.91 WHIP across 30 starts — and 11-0 with a 1.73 ERA over his final 15 starts.
- Freddy Peralta (RHP): ALCS MVP and former longtime Brewer; combined NYM/TB regular season.
- Junior Caminero (3B): .276/.360/.524, 42 HR, 101 RBI, 100 R, .885 OPS over a full 162 games — at age 23.
- Yandy Díaz (DH/1B): Led the AL with 180 hits, hit .293 (third in AL), with a career-first 25+ HR and an .824 OPS.
Bullpens & roster watch
- Milwaukee bullpen: Relievers are 7-1 with a 1.33 ERA this postseason; Trevor Megill, Aaron Ashby and DL Hall have combined for 23⅓ scoreless innings (.096 opponents’ average). Abner Uribe is extra-rested.
- Tampa Bay bullpen: Closer Bryan Baker has finished all seven Rays postseason wins (seven scoreless innings), with Cam Booser as the top lefty setup man and Tyler Wells/Kevin Kelly for big righty outs.