2026 World Series Baseball: Brewers and Rays Seek First Title, with Mexicans in the Game

The 2026 World Series will have a new champion: the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays, two franchises that have never won the Fall Classic, will face off for the title. There will be players of Mexican descent on both teams: Joey Ortiz and JoJo Romero with Milwaukee, and Jonathan Aranda with Tampa Bay.

• This is only the second time in the last 100 years that two franchises without a title have met; the previous time was in 1980.
• Milwaukee led the Majors with a franchise record of 103 wins and has home-field advantage.
• Romero, Ortiz, and Aranda can win a ring; their presence on the World Series roster depends on the lineup Milwaukee registers.

Why it matters: regardless of the outcome, one fan base will end a decades-long wait, and the Latin American community will have players with Mexican roots competing for the most important trophy in baseball.

Two Teams, Two Different Paths to the Fall Classic

According to MLB.com, the Brewers defeated the Padres in the Division Series and swept the defending champion Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. This will be their first World Series since 1982, when they lost in seven games to St. Louis, back when they played in the American League (they moved to the National League in 1998). The manager is Pat Murphy.

The Rays led the American League with 97 wins, swept the Yankees in the Division Series, and eliminated Cleveland in six games in the Championship Series. This is their third World Series and their first since 2020. According to MLB.com, they lost in 2008 to the Phillies in five games and in 2020 to the Dodgers in six.

The 1980 Precedent: Phillies vs. Royals

According to Claro Sports, the only recent precedent for a World Series between two teams without a title is the 1980 series. The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals 4-2 and won their first title. Mike Schmidt was the MVP, with a .381 average, two home runs, and seven RBIs. Tug McGraw struck out Willie Wilson for the final out on October 21, 1980.

The histories of the two teams are also unusual. Milwaukee was born in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots and moved to Wisconsin in 1970. Tampa Bay debuted in 1998 as the Devil Rays. Among the young standout players are Jackson Chourio, from Milwaukee, and Junior Caminero, from Tampa Bay, both 22 years old, according to Claro Sports.

The Mexicans Who Can Win a Ring

JoJo Romero is a left-handed reliever, born on September 9, 1996, in Camarillo, California, and is of Mexican descent. He joined Milwaukee on August 3, 2026, from St. Louis, in a trade that included Dustin May. His nickname was given to him by his Mexican grandfather, because as a child, he had trouble pronouncing "Joseph". He played for Mexico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, when the team reached the semifinals.

This postseason, he has made 4 appearances, with a 2-1 record, a 1.69 ERA in 5.1 innings, and 9 strikeouts, according to Claro Sports and El Imparcial. He won Game 2 of the Championship Series (on October 12, 7-4) by retiring all three batters he faced. He also won Game 4 (on October 15, 6-4, after coming back from a 0-4 deficit) with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts. His only loss came on October 6 against San Diego (4-3), on a home run by Jake Cronenworth.

Joey Ortiz was born on July 14, 1998, in Garden Grove, California, and is also of Mexican descent. He played for Mexico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He joined Milwaukee in February 2024 in the trade that sent Corbin Burnes to Baltimore. In the 2026 regular season, he batted .270 with 9 home runs and 47 RBIs. In the postseason, he has 2 hits in 17 at-bats (.118) and one RBI, but that was crucial: on October 14, in Game 3 against the Dodgers, he hit a two-out RBI single in the ninth inning for a 6-2 win. According to Claro Sports, his presence on the World Series roster depends on the lineup Milwaukee registers.

Jonathan Aranda, a Mexican player, is part of the Rays' roster, according to Claro Sports.

What to Know Before Game 1

According to MLB.com, Games 1 and 2 will be played at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Friday, October 23, and Saturday, October 24. Games 3, 4, and 5 (if necessary) will be played in St. Petersburg on October 26, 27, and 28. If the series goes to seven games, Games 6 and 7 will be played on October 30 and 31 in Milwaukee, which has home-field advantage.

One team will win its first title, and the other will continue to wait. If you want to review other recent results, check out our weekend sports summary.

Sources: MLB.com; Claro Sports; Claro Sports (Ortiz and Romero); El Imparcial. Data consulted on October 20, 2026.