The 2026 MLB World Series is going to produce something MLB hasn’t seen in decades. The Milwaukee Brewers, fresh off a four-game sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS, will meet the Tampa Bay Rays, who took down the Cleveland Guardians in six games in the ALCS. And no matter how it plays out, one first-time champion is guaranteed.
That’s the hook here, and it’s a big one. The Brewers have never won a World Series title.
Neither have the Rays. So when this series ends, one of those fan bases will be celebrating a championship for the first time in franchise history.
ESPN’s David Schoenfield pointed out just how unusual that is. This matchup is the first of its kind since 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals.
“The Brewers are in their 57th season in Milwaukee. The Rays are in their 29th season in Tampa Bay.
Neither franchise has won a World Series,” Schoenfield writes. “The last time this kind of World Series matchup was in 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Kansas City Royals.”
That means the Brewers and Rays are doing something that has not happened in 46 years: sending two title-less franchises into the Fall Classic with a championship waiting on the other side. The 2026 series also lands as the seventh-longest combined drought World Series, with 85 combined seasons without a title, two seasons behind the Phillies-Royals matchup in 1980.
There have been plenty of notable World Series showdowns since then, including the 2016 meeting between Cleveland and the Chicago Cubs. But this one stands apart because both teams are still chasing their first championship.
The Cubs and Cleveland Guardians, for example, carried a combined 174 seasons without a title, but this Brewers-Rays pairing is different in a simpler way: it guarantees a new name on the trophy.
And with both clubs entering as No. 1 seeds in the AL and NL, the stage is set for a matchup that should have plenty of bite. The Brewers and Rays open the World Series on Friday.
In Other News...
Royals Face One Costly Arbitration Call In Bigger 2027 Roster Picture
The Royals winter roster puzzle is already drifting toward 2027, where one of the more complicated decisions on the board centers on Michael Massey and his arbitration status. Kansas City has spent plenty of time evaluating the edges of the roster, and Massey sits right in the middle of that conversation because his case is tied to both performance and fit. Alongside that, the club is also keeping tabs on younger arms and depth options, including left-hander Justin Lamkin, whose Arizona Fall League work has offered a mixed look at what might come next.
There is also a broader bullpen and pitching-market layer to the discussion, with veteran reliever Steven Okert drawing interest as a possible fit and Luke Weaver standing out as a potential reunion candidate for 2027. For a team trying to balance near-term stability with future flexibility, those choices matter just as much as the headline names. The Royals do not have to settle all of it at once, but the arbitration call on Massey could end up being one of the more costly decisions in the larger roster picture. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Still Have One Big Jac Caglianone Decision Ahead
Jac Caglianone gave the Royals a lot to build on in 2026, enough to make him one of the more important pieces of the lineup while also showing the kind of versatility that can help patch holes over a long season. Because injuries forced Kansas City to use him in both right field and at first base, the club got a longer look at how his bat and athleticism can fit in more than one spot, even as his season was interrupted by shoulder and elbow issues.
The bigger question now is where he fits defensively going into 2027. Kansas City may need to sort through roster changes before deciding whether Caglianone stays in the outfield or shifts back to first base, and the answer could shape not just his own development but the way the Royals arrange the rest of the lineup around him. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Face One Offseason Question After Another Disappointing Season
After another disappointing season, the Royals are heading into the winter with a familiar list of needs, and pitching sits right at the top. Improving the rotation and the bullpen is expected to be the main focus, with the market offering some intriguing names if Kansas City wants to be aggressive in free agency.
Joel Penfield laid out a few possibilities on the "One Royal Way" podcast, including starters Kevin Gausman, Casey Mize and Shota Imanaga, plus relief help from Adrian Morejon, Alex Vesia and Jonathan Loisiga. The roster could also use a veteran backup catcher and another outfield bat such as Randy Arozarena, which leaves the Royals weighing how many problems they can realistically solve in one offseason. [Read more 🡒]