This wasn’t the World Series you were expecting six months ago?
The 2026 World Series, which begins Friday night and can be seen exclusively on FOX, will feature the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers, who were each at the top of their respective leagues.
With that, here are 26 numbers to know about the 2026 World Series, which consists of a combination of the two teams’ success in 2026 and the historical context of each reaching the World Series:
0: No franchise has won the World Series.
1/3: Despite balanced offensive attacks, the Rays and Brewers each finished in the bottom third of MLB in home runs; Tampa Bay was 22nd with 169 home runs, with Milwaukee 28th with 154 long balls.
1A: Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski led MLB starting pitchers with a 1.80 ERA, a 0.80 WHIP, 252 strikeouts, a .157 batting average and a +232 ERA.
1B: In the regular season, the Brewers offense led the sport with 1,422 hits and one. 341 base percentage.
1C: In the regular season, the Rays and Brewers were tied for first in MLB with a .258 batting average.
1D: Through Milwaukee’s eight playoff contests to date, it is first among 12 teams to make the playoffs with a .250 batting average, a .343 on-base percentage and a .396 slugging percentage.
2: Tampa Bay’s AL pennant came after missing the playoffs in each of the previous two seasons.
3A: Prior to this season, the Brewers and Rays combined for just three World Series appearances; Milwaukee won the National League title in 1982, with Tampa Bay winning the American League pennant in 2008 and 2020.
3B: Both teams’ starting rotations finished in the top five in MLB in ERA, WHIP and opponent batting average.
3C: Tampa Bay’s pitching staff has surrendered no more than three runs in eight of its nine games this postseason.
3D: Brewers second baseman and 2024 Gold Glover Brice Turang was third in MLB with 7.3 wins above replacement.
4: Rays ace and two-time All-Star Drew Rasmussen’s strikeout tally was the third no-hitter in MLB postseason history in the team’s Game 1 AL Division Series game against the New York Yankees on Oct. 3.
5: Milwaukee’s bullpen was top five in MLB in ERA (3.40, third), opponent average (.223, third) and WHIP (1.23, tied for fifth).
5.7: The Rays offense was last in MLB with a 5.7% slugging percentage, for Statcast. Additionally, they were 29th with a 34.6% slugging percentage and 27th with an 88.0 mph average exit velocity.
8: Milwaukee has made the playoffs in eight of the last nine seasons.
28: The Rays, who won an AL-best 98 games in the regular season, are 28th in MLB with a payroll of $95.6 million. for Spotrac.
41: Tampa Bay reliever Bryan Baker is tied with Cleveland Guardians right-hander Cade Smith for first in MLB with 41 saves.
46A: This is the first time both teams competing in the World Series have never previously won the Fall Classic since the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals in the 1980 World Series.
46B: Rays outfielder Chandler Simpson led the AL with 46 stolen bases.
91: Rasmussen led AL starting pitchers with a 0.91 WHIP.
100: Misiorowski set an MLB record with 66 pitches thrown at or faster than 100 mph in a July 26 start against the Colorado Rockies.
103: The Brewers won an MLB and team-high 103 games, marking the first 100-win season in franchise history. Last season (2025), they won 97 games, which now ranks second in team history.
164: Tampa Bay led the AL with 164 stolen bases; Milwaukee was fifth in MLB with 162 stolen bases.
180: Rays designated hitter and two-time All-Star Yandy Díaz led the AL with 180 hits.
241.8: The Brewers are 19th in MLB with a payroll of $146.2 million. If one were to combine the respective payrolls of Milwaukee ($146.2 million) and Tampa Bay ($95.6 million), their collective payroll of $241.8 million would still be lower than the payrolls of seven teams: New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Cubs, Toronto Blues.
832: The Brewers were second with 832 runs scored in the regular season.
