World Series: Milwaukee Brewers one win from first championship

Milwaukee fans have waited 44 years to see their team raise a World Series trophy. After winning three straight games, the Brewers can end that wait as early as tonight. The team defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 10-1 on Monday night, taking a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. With one more victory, the Brewers will claim their first championship.

The path to this series began in the Wild Card round. The Brewers defeated the San Diego Padres in a three-game series. They then beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Division Series, taking a 2-1 advantage. In the National League Championship Series, the Brewers swept the Dodgers in four games. The Rays, meanwhile, defeated the New York Yankees in the Division Series and the Cleveland Guardians in the Championship Series to reach this final stage.

Robert Gasser started Game 3 and provided the offensive spark for the Brewers. The team scored 10 runs against the Rays, who managed only one. The final score was 10-1, extending Milwaukee's lead in the series. The Rays are now facing a rare scenario in baseball history, trailing 0-3 in a World Series.

Neither the Brewers nor the Rays have ever won a World Series. The last time Milwaukee appeared in the final was in 1982, when they lost to the San Diego Padres. Tampa Bay's most recent appearance was in 2020, a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2008, the Rays lost to the Philadelphia Phillies. Because neither team has a prior title, the 2026 World Series will produce a new champion regardless of the final outcome.

Game 4 is scheduled for tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern. The game will be played in Tampa Bay and broadcast on Fox, Fox Deportes, and fubo. If the Brewers win, they will secure the championship and end their 44-year drought. If the Rays win, the series will continue to Game 5, also in Tampa Bay, on Wednesday evening at 8 p.m. Eastern.

The Rays earned their spot in the World Series by defeating the Cleveland Guardians in six games. Junior Caminero hit a home run in Game 6 to help Tampa Bay secure the American League pennant. This marks the third World Series appearance in the franchise's history. The Guardians, who lost the series 4-2, had previously defeated the Chicago White Sox in the Division Series.

The playoff bracket for 2026 saw the White Sox and Yankees eliminated in the early rounds. The White Sox lost to the Guardians in the Division Series, and the Yankees fell to the Rays. The Braves, who defeated the Phillies in the Wild Card round, were eliminated by the Dodgers in the Division Series. The Cubs lost to the Padres in the Wild Card round without winning a game.

The 2026 postseason schedule is now set for the final games. If the series goes to Game 5, it will take place on Wednesday, October 28. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday, October 30, in Milwaukee. Game 7 is set for Saturday, October 31, also in Milwaukee. All games in the series are scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. Eastern time. The broadcast partners for the remaining games remain Fox, Fox Deportes, and fubo.

The Brewers' sweep of the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series set the stage for this decisive moment. The team has won four consecutive games against Los Angeles, with scores of 2-1, 7-4, 6-2, and 6-4. The Rays' series against Cleveland was closer, with scores of 3-3, 3-1, 3-2, 7-3, 3-1, and 7-3. The 2026 World Series will conclude with a new champion, either Milwaukee or Tampa Bay.