2026 World Series Preview: Brewers vs. Rays - A Historic Clash!

Segment Spotlight: Quick Hits From LatiNation Sports

World Series Numbers, Franchise History and Baseball’s Labor Talks

Baseball is strange: a small round ball comes in a square box, leaving fans and broadcasters to fill the corners with their own excitement. This year’s World Series is especially significant because two teams are seeking their first championship.

The Brewers have appeared in the World Series only once, losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982. They were in the American League at the time but now represent the National League.

The Tampa Bay Rays, a franchise established in 1998, are making their third World Series appearance and are also pursuing their first championship.

This is the 122nd World Series. The event has been played since 1903, when Boston faced Pittsburgh. That series used a best-of-nine format, while the current format is best-of-seven. In those days, the top team from the National League faced the top team from the American League. This season, the Brewers and Tampa Bay enter as the teams with the most wins in their respective leagues.

Tampa Bay’s shorter history makes it more difficult to identify a long list of franchise legends, although Wade Boggs entered the Hall of Fame representing Tampa Bay. After becoming famous with the Red Sox and Yankees, Boggs played two or three seasons with Tampa Bay. One of his biggest moments with the team came when he hit a home run for his 3,000th career hit and kissed home plate.

The Brewers have a longer list of notable former players, including Hall of Famers Paul Molitor and Robin Yount. Despite the history and star players associated with both franchises, neither team has won the World Series.

Beyond the championship, baseball also faces an important collective bargaining agreement. The previous major disruption came in 1994, when a players’ strike prevented the World Series from being played. The current agreement ends on December 1, and the two sides have already been discussing a new deal.

The business of baseball has become increasingly complex, with betting, sponsorships and franchises valued in the billions of dollars. Television revenue is another major issue. Unlike the NFL and NBA, MLB teams do not divide all television contract revenue equally. They share a percentage, but not everything.

Players want smaller-market teams to spend the revenue-sharing money they receive from other owners. Large-market teams in cities such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago continue to spend heavily, while smaller-market clubs such as Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay spend less.