Milwaukee Brewers Win First World Series Title in Franchise History

Milwaukee fans have a championship to celebrate. The Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 on Wednesday night, October 29, 2026, to win their first World Series title. The victory came in Game 5 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. Thousands of Brewers supporters traveled to Florida and occupied the seating area behind the Milwaukee dugout for the final three games of the series.

The Brewers built their lead early against Rays starter Drew Rasmussen. Cooper Pratt scored David Hamilton on a single in the second inning, putting Milwaukee ahead. The Brewers extended their advantage in the fifth inning when Pratt singled and scored on a hit by Hamilton. William Contreras added a run with a double in the sixth inning, and Pratt followed with a sacrifice fly.

Milwaukee's pitching staff protected the lead throughout the contest. Jacob Misiorowski started the game and pitched 5 2/3 innings. He allowed no runs and gave up two hits. Misiorowski left the mound after suffering a cramp in his right calf. The crowd applauded him as he exited the field. JoJo Romero and Abner Uribe each recorded two outs in relief. Trevor Megill closed the game by pitching the final two innings, allowing one run on a double by Chandler Simpson.

The championship marks the first title in the franchise's history. The team began play in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots before moving to Milwaukee in 1970. The franchise previously appeared in the World Series in 1982 but lost to the St. Louis Cardinals after holding a 3-1 lead in Game 7. Milwaukee's only other major league baseball title was won by the Braves in 1957, a decade before the team relocated to Atlanta.

The Brewers reached the postseason after leading the major leagues with 103 wins during the regular season. They went 11-2 in the playoffs, which included a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. The team also recorded seven comeback victories during that stretch.

Player performances shaped the series. Misiorowski, age 22, finished the series with a 2-0 record and a 0.84 ERA. He threw a 103.5 mph fastball on the first pitch of the series, setting a World Series record. Pratt recorded six consecutive hits during the series, which set a rookie record. Jackson Chourio collected 11 hits across the five games, establishing a record for a five-game series.

The Rays finished the series with a 0-3 record in World Series appearances. Tampa Bay previously lost the Fall Classic in 2008 and 2020. The team entered the series after falling behind 3-0 and attempting to force a sixth game.

This series occurred as Major League Baseball owners are seeking a salary cap agreement with the players' association. A management lockout could begin on December 2. The Brewers ranked 19th in payroll as of August 31, while the Rays ranked 25th. This marked the first World Series since 1991 featuring teams from the bottom half of the payroll rankings.