MLB Baseball
2026-10-23 - Tampa Bay Rays at Milwaukee Brewers
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : MLB World Series Game 1
Friday 23rd October 2026 - Scheduled 8pm EST
1am (British Time)
Preview
Some conspiracy theorists will suggest that this is a World Series that suits the biggest teams in Major League Baseball- a new agreement has to be reached in the offseason to avoid a lockout in the 2027 season, but there have been long discussions about a potential salary cap being introduced into the sport.
If the Los Angeles Dodgers were facing the New York Yankees in the World Series, it might have hardened the view that a cap would be needed and increase the likelihood of a lockout.
Instead, having two small market teams competing to win it all may cool those suggestions, although the conspiracy is missing the fact that the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays have been the best teams in their individual Leagues. Neither team has won the World Series before, but both finished as the Number 1 Seed in the National League and American League respectively and have beaten the aforementioned Dodgers and Yankees without dropping a game between them.
Both the Brewers and Rays deserve to be in the World Series and the match up looks a tough one to call with the team similar to one another. They will both have confidence in the pitching rotations, while the Brewers and Rays have mixed power and quality at-bats on the plate to move into a position to win games and, ultimately, Series.
Milwaukee have earned the right to host four of the potential seven games to be played, but the Rays will be confident they can find the road win or two needed to shift the momentum.
The Brewers will hand the ball to Jacob Misiorowski who had a very strong regular season in his second season in the Major League, but who is under pressure to turn things around in the Playoffs. He has only been able to get through a little more than 8 Innings in the two Playoff starts made and Jacob Misiorowski has given up three earned runs and not put together efficient performances.
No one will have lost confidence in Jacob Misiorowski, but a strong bullpen means the Brewers are willing to remove the pitcher when they feel the timing is right.
Jacob Misiorowski gave up two runs in 6 Innings thrown in this ballpark against the Tampa Bay Rays earlier this season, although he did not factor into the decision.
Tampa Bay will counter by handing the ball to Nick Martinez who is the surprising choice to start Game 1 ahead of Drew Rasmussen, who has been held back for Game 2 on Saturday.
Nick Martinez had a strong regular season in his first year with the Tampa Bay Rays, while he has allowed three runs in 9 Innings thrown across two starts in the Playoffs. He was particularly impressive in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series as Nick Martinez pitched into the 6th Inning and allowed a single run in a pressurised spot as the Rays trailed 2-1 in that Series.
Earlier this season, Nick Martinez pitched here and gave up two runs in 6 Innings thrown against the Milwaukee Brewers, although, like Jacob Misiorowski, he did not factor into the decision.
These teams met in one series hosted by the Milwaukee Brewers at the back end of March into early April and it was the Brewers who took two of three games.
Prediction
The World Series may not be featuring the kind of teams that will bring in huge viewership, but the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays will not apologise for doing what is needed to earn their opportunity to win it all.
There are a lot of similarities between the teams and that should mean a competitive World Series.
The Milwaukee bullpen feels like the one difference, while the batting lineup have found some power in the Playoffs that was missing in the regular season. Beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the manner they did in the National League Championship Series will have given the Brewers more confidence and they look to have an edge on the starter mound.
Jacob Misiorowski has not pitched well in the post-season so far, but he has had time to just reset.
This is important and Misiorowski can out-duel Nick Martinez early with the Brewers bats likely able to do enough to secure a win by at least a couple of runs in Game 1 of the World Series.
The Pick :
Milwaukee Brewers 4-2 Tampa Bay Rays
