MILWAUKEE, Wisc. – A first-time champion will be crowned in the 2026 Fall Classic as the Milwaukee Brewers host the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 1 of the World Series today – Friday, Oct. 23 – at American Family Field.
Check out details on how to watch this Brewers vs. Rays World Series game on TV and streaming services:
- What: MLB World Series Game 1: Milwaukee Brewers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
- When: Friday, Oct. 23, 2026
- Time: 8:10 p.m. Eastern (7:10 p.m. Central)
- Channel: FOX and FOX deportes (Spanish)
- Where: American Family Field | Milwaukee, Wisc.
- Streaming options: DIRECTV (free trial and $35 off your first month), FuboTV (free trial and $25 off your first month) and SlingTV
How do I watch the World Series for free today?
This World Series game will broadcast live on FOX and FOX deportes (Spanish) at 8:10 p.m. Eastern (7:10 p.m. Central).
Baseball fans who have parted ways with their local cable provider can watch at no cost by grabbing a free trial from DIRECTV, which also offers $35 off your first month. FuboTV is also offering a free trial and $25 off your first month.
Fans can also watch this game on SlingTV with the Sling Select plan for $19.99 per month. This package includes local channels in select markets.
This year’s Fall Classic pits the top two seeds in their respective leagues against each other for the right to be called a World Series champion for the first time in franchise history. The Brewers won 103 games out of the National League while the Rays racked up 98 victories en route to their pennant.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers exacted revenge from last year by sweeping the back-to-back defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. Milwaukee was ousted the same way on the same stage last season.
Milwaukee is making its first appearance in the World Series since 1982, when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games as a member of the American League.
The bullpen has been sensational, compiling 40 and two-thirds innings with a 1.33 ERA, while allowing 22 hits, 14 walks and 38 strikeouts. Reliever Aaron Ashby has 12 and one-thirds scoreless innings.
The Brewers have made the playoffs in eight of the last nine seasons and had the best record in baseball each of the last two seasons.
Brewers players to watch
Brice Turang
Turang has six hits in eight postseason games, including one double, one home run, two RBI, seven walks and seven strikeouts.
Christian Yelich
Yelich has seven hits in seven postseason games, including a double, three RBI, two walks and six strikeouts.
William Contreras
Contreras has 11 hits in eight postseason games, including one double, three home runs, five RBI, five walks and six strikeouts.
Watch World Series Game 1 for free on DIRECTV
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays overcame a 2-1 series deficit to defeat the Cleveland Guardians in six games of the American League Championship Series.
Tampa Bay is making its third World Series appearance in franchise history. The Rays were defeated in six games by the Dodgers in 2020 and lost in five games to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2008.
The Rays are calculated at the plate, leading the MLB in contact rate. Tampa Bay also strikes out the fewest in baseball, but franchise cornerstone Junior Caminero has struck out 13 times this postseason.
The AL champions are also blistering on the base path, bunting the most in the Majors and stealing bases at will, led by arguably the fastest player in baseball in Chandler Simpson.
The Big 3 of Caminero, Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda will make or break the series for the Rays. When they were slumping, Cleveland jumped out to a 2-1 series lead. The bats came to life and the rest is history. The trio combined for 86 of their 169 home runs this season.
Rays players to watch
Junior Caminero
Caminero has nine hits in nine postseason games, including three doubles, one home run, four RBI, four walks and 13 strikeouts.
Jonathan Aranda
Aranda has nine hits in nine postseason games, including one home run, five RBI, one walk and five strikeouts.
Yandy Diaz
Diaz has 12 hits in nine postseason games, including four doubles, two home runs, four RBI, one walk and nine strikeouts.
Today’s pitching matchup
MIL Jacob Misiorowski (0-0, 3.24 ERA) vs. TB Nick Martinez (1-0, 3.00)
Widely considered the NL Cy Young frontrunner, the ‘Miz’ has been strong in two postseason starts, allowing three earned runs on nine hits while walking four and striking out 11. The right-hander finished the regular season 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA, 252 strikeouts and a 0.80 WHIP, all MLB-bests.
If called upon, Ashby has been untouchable in the Brewers’ pen this postseason. He, along with the rest of the pitching staff, are fully rested and have not pitched since Oct. 15.
In two postseason starts, Martinez has allowed three earned runs off seven hits while walking three and striking out six. The right-hander finished the regular season 15-6 with a 3.10 ERA, 109 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP, which was 12th in MLB.
The Rays have a well-rested albeit vulnerable bullpen. Closer Bryan Baker has seven scoreless innings in seven games, but the rest of the staff has allowed a 4.70 ERA this postseason.
Who is announcing the World Series?
Joe Davis (play-by-play) and John Smoltz (analyst) will be the announcers while Ken Rosenthal and Tom Verducci will report from the field.
What are the latest odds for Brewers vs. Rays World Series Game 1?
Spread: MIL: (-1.5), TB: (+1.5)
Moneyline: MIL: (-198), TB: (+162)
Run Line: 6.5
Odds courtesy of DraftKings
