MLB World Series Kicks Off With High Expectations and Small-Ball Strategy

The 2026 World Series begins on Friday night at American Family Field in Milwaukee, marking a historic matchup between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers. Both franchises enter the Fall Classic seeking their first-ever World Series championship, a milestone not seen since the Philadelphia Phillies played the Kansas City Royals in 1980. The matchup features two teams that achieved regular-season success by prioritizing fundamental baseball, strong defense, and speed over the home-run-heavy strategies that have dominated Major League Baseball in recent years.

Analyst and former World Series champion Alex Rodriguez, alongside fellow FOX Sports broadcasters Derek Jeter and David Ortiz, shared their predictions for the championship series. Jeter and Rodriguez both picked the Milwaukee Brewers to win in seven games, pointing to the team's home-field advantage and reliable bullpen. Ortiz chose the Tampa Bay Rays in seven games, highlighting the team's consistent performance throughout the American League season.

Ahead of Game 1, batting practice at American Family Field offered a glimpse of the intensity surrounding the series. Tampa Bay slugger Junior Caminero sent a batting-practice home run into the center-field videoboard before narrowly missing the FOX broadcast booth where Burkhardt, Rodriguez, Ortiz, and Jeter were stationed. "Junior Caminero tried to murder us before the game," broadcaster Kevin Burkhardt quipped during the pregame show.

Both the Rays and Brewers reached the championship series by bucking modern power-hitting trends in favor of small ball. While many teams rely heavily on home runs, Tampa Bay led the American League with 164 stolen bases and 45 sacrifice bunts. The Brewers closely mirrored that strategy, finishing fifth in the majors with 162 stolen bases and 37 sacrifice bunts, while maintaining the lowest chase rate of balls outside the strike zone in baseball.

Milwaukee's disciplined approach was evident during the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. NLCS MVP Jake Bauers anchored key innings with lengthy, patient at-bats, including a 12-pitch walk against Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto and an 11-pitch home run against Blake Snell.

Rodriguez and Ortiz marveled at those performances during postgame coverage. Addressing Bauers on air, Rodriguez called the patient at-bats "two of the greatest at-bats we've all ever seen." Rodriguez also praised Milwaukee for its low launch angle, noting approvingly that the team avoids focusing solely on home run swings.

On the other side, the Tampa Bay Rays secured their third pennant by relying on stellar pitching, tight defense, and an unselfish offensive attack. After defeating the Cleveland Guardians in Game 6 of the ALCS behind home runs from Caminero and Yandy Díaz, the Rays look to carry their momentum into the opening game of the World Series as broadcasting crews and fans settle in for a competitive, seven-game battle.