Somebody Wins A First Title: The Most Unlikely World Series Opens Tonight In Milwaukee

One of these teams is about to win the first championship in its history. The Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays open the World Series on Friday night at American Family Field — the first Series since 1980, when Philadelphia beat Kansas City, in which both clubs are seeking their first title. Milwaukee lost its only previous trip, in 1982 to St. Louis, and is back after 44 years. Tampa Bay lost in 2008 and again in 2020. Game 1 is at 8:08 p.m. Eastern on FOX.

Both teams earned it the plain way. Milwaukee won a franchise-record 103 games, beat San Diego in four in the Division Series and swept the two-time defending champion Dodgers in the NLCS. Tampa Bay won 98, swept the Yankees in the Division Series and beat Cleveland in six in the ALCS. It is only the sixth time in the wild-card era that the Series matches the team with each league’s best record — and both clubs sit in the bottom half of baseball’s payroll table, Milwaukee 19th and Tampa Bay 25th as of August 31, per the Associated Press.

The first pitch belongs to the hardest thrower the sport has ever measured. Jacob Misiorowski, 24, went 16–5 with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts, won the pitching triple crown, holds the fastest average fastball in the majors at over 100 miles per hour, and has reached 105.5. ESPN’s Jeff Passan profiled him this week as a clubhouse tall-tale legend whose actual stuff matches the stories. Manager Pat Murphy introduced him to the media on Thursday with two words: “Forrest Gump, everyone.” Misiorowski’s own assessment: “I’m still fresh to all of this and I have no idea what the hell is going on.” Tampa Bay starts Nick Martinez (15–6, 3.10 ERA) — see the Daily’s report on manager Kevin Cash’s reasoning.

This Series also arrives with two firsts built in. It is the first World Series played with the Automated Ball-Strike System — robot umpires reviewing challenged pitches. This postseason, batters have won 63 percent of their challenges (40 of 63) and catchers 58 percent (58 of 99); Tampa Bay reliever Griffin Jax has made the only pitcher challenge. And with the American Family Field roof closed for Game 1 — Major League Baseball’s call, on a clear night forecast at about 59 degrees — and Tropicana Field’s fixed roof waiting in Florida, this could be the first World Series played entirely indoors.

One more wrinkle: rest. Milwaukee has had seven days off since sweeping the Dodgers. Since 2009, the team with less rest has gone 12–4 in the World Series, per the AP. The expert panels lean Milwaukee anyway: ESPN’s updated panel went 12–3 for the Brewers, its 10,000-simulation model made Milwaukee a 59.1 percent favorite, CBS Sports’ five experts went 4–1 Brewers, and 85 percent of The Athletic’s 30 experts picked Milwaukee. ESPN ranked all 52 players in the Series and put Misiorowski first.

Game 1 particulars: Mickey Guyton sings the national anthem. Joe Davis and John Smoltz call it on FOX, with Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci reporting. The Davies Daily Wagers baseball board carries the books’ posted prices for the Series; the Daily posts the prices and does not take wagers.