It all comes down to this. After three exciting rounds of the MLB playoffs, only two teams remain to compete for a World Series Championship. Tonight, the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays begin their tilt to see who will win the last game of the season. While the World Series is always an exciting matchup, this one has a little more juice. First, it will be a battle of the top teams in the American and National Leagues. It is the second straight season this type of matchup has occurred.
This isn’t just a battle between the two best teams in baseball; it could be the franchise that wins its first World Series. Neither the Brewers nor the Rays has won a World Series championship, despite multiple appearances. It is the first time since the 1980 World Series that this has happened and the fourth time in MLB history. It is set up to be a historic series. But how do these teams stack up, and who will take home the title?
Milwaukee Brewers
After years of playoff shortcomings, the Brewers have finally reached the Fall Classic. For the first time since 1982, the Brew Crew will fight to bring home the title and avenge past heartbreak. This team’s success relies on its dominant pitching. Headlining the group is Jacob Misiorowski. In his first full season in the bigs, he established himself as a superstar, pitching to a 232 ERA+. Logan Henderson also had a strong first full season with a 162 ERA+. This is a devastating one-two punch to have in a series.
Although these two starters look like the future of the Brewers organization, the Brewers have gotten this far because of their bullpen. Throughout the two rounds they have played, the pen has posted a 1.33 ERA. It is one of the best marks for a bullpen in MLB history. It also makes it much harder for opponents, because the game feels over once they go to the pen. Aaron Ashby has led the way, allowing no runs in 12 ⅓ innings. Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill have also put up strong numbers this postseason.
While their lineup does not boast a superstar like Misorowski, they have been very successful throughout the postseason. William Contreras has been their biggest threat at the plate, with 11 hits, including three home runs, and five RBIs. Jake Bauers also had several clutch hits during the series. In Game 3, he worked an 11-pitch at-bat, his second double-digit pitch at-bat of the series, that ended in a home run. He also played a pivotal role in the Brewers’ comeback win in Game 4. It’s no wonder why this helped him win NLCS MVP.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are writing what could be the story of the decade. Just last season, they were forced to play the entire season at George Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees’ spring-training site, after a hurricane ripped the roof off Tropicana Field. But just a year later, they are just four wins away from their first World Series. Their pitching staff is a large reason for this success. The one-two punch of Drew Rasmussen and Freddy Peralta has been one of the best this postseason.
Peralta has received all the acclaim and won ALCS MVP. He allowed just one run over 12 innings with nine strikeouts to six walks. Rasmussen has shown he is that old-school bulldog pitcher. He has pitched 21 innings over his three starts, averaging seven innings per start. He has also allowed just 3 runs in the entire postseason. But once these two are done, the Rays turn to their solid bullpen. Relievers like Bryan Baker and Cam Booser have allowed no runs and have surrendered only two hits this postseason.
On offense, the Rays are led by Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero. The heroes of Game Six of the ALCS have been clutch all postseason. Diaz leads the team with 12 hits, including four doubles, two home runs, and four RBIs. Similarly, Caminero has nine hits, including three doubles and one home run, with four RBIs. Jonathan Aranda and Richie Palacios have also been productive this postseason. Both have recorded at least eight hits and over four RBIs.
Prediction
Brewers in Six Games
On paper, these two teams are very evenly matched. Both have two elite starters and a bullpen that can steal a series. However, when you dig a little deeper into Peralta’s numbers, it looks like he’s been getting lucky. In Game Six, he put eight runners on base and got lucky in a few key spots. It’s very possible his luck runs out, and he returns to the struggles he had with the Mets. This will hurt the Rays and give the Brewers a chance to steal a couple of games and take the series.
