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The World Series that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred dreaded in more ways than one is now a reality. The Tampa Bay Rays will play the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2026 World Series. That became a reality when the Rays finished off the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series on Monday. The Rays will now have a few days off before the World Series begins Friday in Milwaukee. Both teams are seeking their first World Series championship.
Championship Series Chatter
Rays Finish Guardians, Return To World Series
Final score: Rays 7, Guardians 3
Series: Rays win 4-2
Next game: Rays (RHP Drew Rasmussen) at Brewers (RHP Jacob Misiorowski) in Game 1 of World Series, Friday, 8:08 p.m. ET (Fox)
The best team in the AL delivered the big punches. Because of that, the Tampa Bay Rays now get to face the team with the best record in MLB in the World Series. Behind a tough outing from right-handed starter Freddy Peralta and home runs by Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz, the Rays earned their third trip to the World Series with a 7-3 victory over the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the AL Championship Series. By taking the final three games of the ALCS, the Rays won the best-of-seven series 4-2 and will now face the NL champion Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series. Game 1 is Friday in Milwaukee. The Rays also made the Fall Classic in 2008 and 2020. While this will be a battle between teams seeking their first championship, the Guardians will have to wait another year to win their third title, the last one coming in 1948. Peralta was named the ALCS MVP after winning Games 2 and 6 and making a key relief appearance in Game 4.
As they did in Game 5 the night before in Cleveland, the Rays jumped out to a quick lead in Game 6 in Tampa Bay. Caminero led off the bottom of the second with a single, leading to the first of several pitching changes for the Guardians in another bullpen game. Chandler Simpson hit a grounder, reaching as Caminero was forced out at second. Victor Mesa Jr. walked, then Richie Palacios hit a double to right that brought in both runners for a 2-0 lead. It became 3-0 in the third when Jonny DeLuca it a sacrifice fly. Peralta took center stage from there. Flashing the form that made him an ace with the Brewers and not the questionable trade acquisition with the New York Mets, Peralta went 5⅓ innings, allowing a sixth-inning run while giving up five hits and walking three while striking out three.
Cleveland’s run came in the top of the sixth on Chase DeLauter’s leadoff double and Nathaniel Lowe’s one-out single to pull within 3-1. Caminero, traded by Cleveland to the Rays in November 2021 and the biggest power source for the Rays after hitting 42 regular-season homers, hit his first of this postseason, an emotional two-run shot off the left-field foul pole against Guardians closer Cade Smith in the bottom of the seventh to go up 5-1. But the Guardians had a comeback on them. They loaded the bases in the top of the eighth, then pulled within 5-3 on a walk to Patrick Bailey and Angel Martínez getting hit by a pitch. Right-handed reliever Kevin Kelly, whom the Rays acquired through the Rule 5 draft from the Guardians, struck out Brayan Rocchio to end the threat. Diaz then followed up another walk with his clinching two-run homer, a 416-foot shot to left.
That turned it over to Rays right-handed closer Bryan Baker for the ninth. Even though it wasn’t a save situation, Baker did what he does, pitching a perfect ninth and sending the Rays to the World Series.
Richie Palacios kept his at-bat alive with an emergency swing …On the next pitch he hit a two-run double!
RAYS STRIKE FIRST IN GAME 6 👀Richie Palacios drives in a pair!
Jonny DeLuca makes it a three-run Rays lead!
Next stop: Milwaukee for World Series Game 1 🍾
By The Numbers
13 Rays right-hander Freddy Peralta became the 13th player to win a postseason MVP after being acquired during the season.
8 This will be the eighth World Series with both teams seeking their first championship and first since 1980.
38.66 Rays slugger Junior Caminero’s home run trot took 38.66 seconds, the second-slowest in the Statcast-tracking era. The slowest? Caminer’s 40.65 on Sept. 15.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Confetti Angels
Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen soaked in his first trip to the World Series with his kids.
Drew Rasmussen takes in the moment with his family 🥹
All-Time Bunter
Rays speedster Chander Simpson should just bunt all the time.
Chandler Simpson was nearly at first base when his bunt single was picked up 💨
Double The Pleasure
Rays shortstop Taylor Walls turned a nifty double play.
MINE!!!
Guardians right-hander Shawn Armstrong was locked in, including calling the popup to end a seven-pitch first inning.
The Guardians were loving it as Shawn Armstrong called everyone off to catch this pop up
— Talkin' Baseball (@talkinbaseballbot.bsky.social) 2026-10-20T00:26:48.000Z
Primal
Rays superstar Junior Caminero let it all out.
Photos you can hear 🔥
Noteworthy News
A’s Hire New Front-Office Boss
As the A’s prepare for their final season without a true home before heading to Las Vegas, they have found a new leader for their front office. Taylor Smith, the senior vice president and assistant general manager of the Boston Red Sox, has been named president of baseball operations by the A’s. The 31-year-old also worked for seven seasons in the Rays’ research and development unit, then joined the Red Sox in 2024, where he was responsible for baseball research and development. That included analytics, science and technology. Smith replaces David Forst, a longtime A’s executive whose contract was up after the season, but he was fired Aug. 7. This officially fills one of the three front-office vacancies in MLB. The other two are the Los Angeles Angels, who fired Perry Minasian on June 27, and the Houston Astros, who fired Dana Brown on Aug. 24. The Angels brought in John Mozeliak, who was expected to remain in the role although that has not officially been announced. The Angels are also undergoing approval of a sale from Arte Moreno to Stan Kroenke, which could be impacting that decision.
Boone Back In 2027
It took three weeks from the end of the regular season for the New York Yankees to make clear what was already evident: Aaron Boone is returning as manager for the 2027 season. That could be his final season as the Yankees’ bench boss one way or another. Boone’s contract expires following next season. The 53-year-old has been the Yankees’ skipper since the beginning of the 2018 season and compiling a .583 winning percentage (790-565), with three AL East titles, eight trips to the playoffs in his nine years and one appearance in the World Series. But no championships since 2008, their only other World Series aside from the loss in 2024 to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Extra Bases
⚾ The Baltimore Orioles hired Jared Banner as general manager, the right-hand man to president of baseball operations Mike Elias. Banner had been an assistant general manager with the Chicago Cubs. Elias has been considering hiring a GM since the end of last season and finally pulled the trigger with the 41-year-old Banner, who has 18 years of baseball ops experience.
⚾ Kevin Long, fired by the Philadelphia Phillies as hitting coach, is set to interview for a role with the New York Mets, according to a report by Mike Puma of the New York Post. The Mets fired director of hitting Jeff Alpert following the season. That position is an organizational role as opposed to hitting coach, which is just at the MLB level. Troy Snitker is the Mets’ hitting coach.
⚾ Third baseman Teruaki Sato will be posted by his team in Japan, the Hanshin Tigers. The 27-year-old, who is favored to win his second straight Central League MVP, is expected to be one of the more coveted free agents after a 2026 with a .306/.383/.609 slash line. He hit 39 homers and drove in 106 a year after hitting 40 homers with 102 RBIs. The knock on him is his strikeouts. He had 164 this year in 614 plate appearances after having 163 in 597 last year. Sato will be posted soon following the Japan Series, which starts this weekend, due to the impending lockout
Articles You Should Read
Selig overjoyed with Brewers’ return to World Series — Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
What the Mets learned from Peralta’s disappointing tenure and his rebound with Rays — Anthony DiComo, MLB.com
After turnaround for the ages, White Sox eye pitching, outfield depth — Lamond Pope, Chicago Tribune
