How the Brewers and Rays have fared in the World Series before as both vie for first title - CBS Sports
The 2026 World Series will feature the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays, both of whom are seeking their first-ever championship title. The article reviews the historical World Series appearances of both franchises as they prepare for the upcoming series.
Why it matters
This matchup is notable for guaranteeing a first-time champion, which is a significant milestone for MLB franchise history.
The 2026 World Series will see the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays square off, much to the chagrin of people who love complaining about how it's just "the same teams every single year."
People who love variety should be ecstatic with this matchup. Since we last had a first-time winner (the 2023 Texas Rangers), five MLB teams remain title-less: these same Brewers and Rays, plus the Colorado Rockies , San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners .
We are guaranteed to knock the answer to that trivia question down to four after this Fall Classic. There will be a first-time winner by Halloween.
This is not, however, the first time these franchises have played in the World Series. Only the Mariners (who came tantalizingly close last year) have zero pennants. Here's how the previous World Series appearances went for the two 2026 pennant winners.
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