World Series 2026: Brewers Lead Rays 2-0 Before Game 3

The 2026 World Series heads to Florida with the Milwaukee Brewers two wins from the first championship in franchise history. Milwaukee beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in Game 1 and 5-4 in Game 2 at American Family Field, and Game 3 is set for Monday, Oct. 26, at 8 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field. Here is everything you need before first pitch. Scores and records below are as of Monday evening, before Game 3.

What we know: the series so far

Both games in Milwaukee were decided by a single run, so the Brewers' 2-0 lead comes with a combined margin of just two runs. As MLB.com put it in its Game 3 preview, the Rays have also hurt themselves with outs on the bases and mistakes in the field.

Results: Baseball-Reference and MLB.com.

Game 1: a record first pitch and a late scare

Milwaukee scored twice in the first inning and never trailed. Starter Jacob Misiorowski opened the night with a 103.5 mph fastball, which the Associated Press reported is the fastest pitch recorded in a World Series game. The Rays loaded the bases in the ninth and scored once after a replay review overturned a game-ending double play, but the Brewers held on for a 3-2 win.

Game 2: another comeback

Tampa Bay jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Milwaukee answered with five unanswered runs: Sal Frelick tied the game with a sixth-inning home run, and rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt drove in the go-ahead run with a seventh-inning single, according to MLB.com's Game 2 recap. The Brewers' bullpen then shut the Rays out the rest of the way.

Why this World Series is trending

Several storylines have pushed this matchup up U.S. search and social trends:

• A guaranteed first-time champion. Neither franchise has won a World Series. The Brewers lost their only previous Fall Classic in 1982, and the Rays lost in 2008 and 2020, according to the series overview on Wikipedia.
• Two of the best teams in baseball. Milwaukee went 103-59 and Tampa Bay went 98-64, so the Brewers hold home-field advantage, MLB.com notes.
• A pennant run through the champions. The Brewers reached the World Series by sweeping the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS. The Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians in six games in the ALCS.
• The return of the Trop. Game 3 is the first World Series game at Tropicana Field since 2008. The Rays' 2020 World Series was played at a neutral site in Texas because of the pandemic.

Game 3 pitching matchup: Peralta vs. Gasser

The Game 3 storyline writes itself. Freddy Peralta, once the ace of the Brewers' rotation, starts for Tampa Bay against his old team.

Figures: MLB.com Game 3 preview.

Peralta was traded by Milwaukee in the offseason and joined the Rays at the trade deadline. MLB.com reports the Rays gave him extra rest after the ALCS so he would be at his best for this start. Gasser began the season at Triple-A and pitched his way into the Brewers' young postseason rotation alongside Misiorowski and Logan Henderson.

Milwaukee is keeping the same batting order it used in Games 1 and 2, led by Jackson Chourio, Jake Bauers and Christian Yelich.

How to watch the World Series

• TV: FOX (English) and FOX Deportes (Spanish)
• Streaming: FOX One; MLB.TV for authenticated pay-TV subscribers
• Radio: ESPN Radio nationally; Spanish-language radio on TUDN Radio
• First pitch: 8 p.m. ET for Games 3, 4 and 5

Broadcast details come from MLB's official schedule announcement. Outside the U.S., Sportsnet carries the series in Canada.

What's next: remaining schedule

Schedule: MLB.com World Series FAQ. A Game 7 would fall on Halloween night, the evening before most of the country turns its clocks back for the end of daylight saving time.

What history says about a 2-0 lead

A 2-0 lead is strong but not decisive. According to MLB.com, 46 of the 57 teams that took a 2-0 World Series lead went on to win, about 80.7%. In best-of-seven series, the record is 45 of 55. The Rays have already come back once this October: they trailed the Guardians 2-1 in the ALCS before winning three straight games.

What each team needs

• Brewers: Two more wins. Winning Games 3 and 4 would clinch the title in St. Petersburg on Tuesday night.
• Rays: Win at least three of the next four games to force the series back to Milwaukee, then win there. A win behind Peralta in Game 3 would cut the deficit to 2-1.

The bottom line

The Brewers have won two tight games and need two more for their first championship. The Rays return home with their best pitcher of the past two months on the mound. For more U.S. sports stories, visit our Sports section, and see what else is trending in News and Entertainment.