Rays beat Guardians 7-3 to win the ALCS and set up a first-ever World Series with the Brewers
Tampa Bay won three straight games to take the American League pennant 4-2. One of two franchises that have never won the World Series will be champion when Game 1 starts in Milwaukee on Friday.
At a glance
- The Tampa Bay Rays beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 at Tropicana Field on October 19 to win the ALCS 4-2.
- Freddy Peralta allowed one run in 5 1/3 innings; Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz hit two-run home runs.
- The Rays meet the Milwaukee Brewers, who swept the Dodgers, in the World Series starting Friday, October 23, in Milwaukee.
- Neither team has won a World Series: the Rays lost in 2008 and 2020, the Brewers in 1982.
The Tampa Bay Rays are going to the World Series. They beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 19, winning the series 4-2 after three straight victories. They will face the Milwaukee Brewers in a World Series that is guaranteed to crown a first-time champion.
Game 6 at a glance
| Result | Rays 7, Guardians 3 |
| Series | Rays win ALCS 4-2 |
| Venue | Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida |
| Crowd | 40,230 (sellout) |
| Winning pitcher | Freddy Peralta (5 1/3 innings, 1 run, 5 hits) |
| Home runs | Junior Caminero (2-run, 7th), Yandy Díaz (2-run, 8th) |
How the runs came
| Inning | What happened | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2nd | Richie Palacios two-run double | Rays 2-0 |
| 3rd | Jonny DeLuca sacrifice fly off Joey Cantillo | Rays 3-0 |
| 6th | Nathaniel Lowe RBI single | Rays 3-1 |
| 7th | Junior Caminero two-run homer off the foul pole | Rays 5-1 |
| 8th | Guardians score on a bases-loaded walk and a hit batter | Rays 5-3 |
| 8th | Yandy Díaz two-run homer off Hunter Gaddis | Rays 7-3 |
Peralta sets the tone
Freddy Peralta was outstanding again. The right-hander, who began his career with the Brewers, allowed just one run on five hits over 5 1/3 innings and earned his second win of the series in his third appearance. The Rays' offence gave him an early cushion with three runs in the second and third innings.
The big swings
Cleveland threatened twice. Lowe's single in the sixth cut the gap to 3-1, but Junior Caminero answered in the seventh with a two-run shot that struck the foul pole — his first home run of the playoffs. When the Guardians forced in two runs in the eighth to make it 5-3 and fill the stadium with nerves, Yandy Díaz, one of only two players left from Tampa Bay's 2020 pennant-winning team, hit a two-run homer to settle it.
How the series turned
| Game | Result |
|---|---|
| 1 | Guardians 7, Rays 3 |
| 2 | Rays 3, Guardians 1 |
| 3 | Guardians 3, Rays 2 |
| 4 | Rays win |
| 5 | Rays 3, Guardians 1 |
| 6 | Rays 7, Guardians 3 |
After falling 2-1 behind, the Rays won Games 4 and 5 in Cleveland — Drew Rasmussen allowed one run over seven innings in Game 5 — before closing it out at home.
A World Series of first-timers
| Tampa Bay Rays | Milwaukee Brewers | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 record | 98-64 (1st, AL East) | 103-59 (1st, NL Central; best in MLB) |
| Route | Beat Guardians 4-2 | Swept Dodgers 4-0 |
| Previous World Series | 2008 (lost to Phillies), 2020 (lost to Dodgers) | 1982 (lost to Cardinals) |
| Titles | 0 | 0 |
This is the first World Series meeting between the two clubs, and one of them will win the title for the first time in franchise history. The Rays did it with one of the smallest payrolls in baseball, while the Brewers knocked out the two-time defending champion Dodgers in four games.
Why it matters
Small-market teams rarely meet on baseball's biggest stage, and both franchises are built on developing players and smart trades rather than big spending. For Peralta, there is an extra twist: he will face the team where he made his name.
What happens next
Game 1 is on Friday, October 23, at American Family Field in Milwaukee, which has home-field advantage thanks to the Brewers' better record. The World Series is a best-of-seven series.
Questions people are asking
Who won the ALCS 2026?
The Tampa Bay Rays, who beat the Cleveland Guardians 7-3 in Game 6 on October 19, 2026, to win the series 4-2 after trailing 2-1.
When does the 2026 World Series start?
Game 1 between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays is on Friday, October 23, 2026, at American Family Field in Milwaukee. The Brewers have home-field advantage after finishing with baseball's best record.
Have the Rays or Brewers ever won the World Series?
No. The Rays lost the World Series in 2008 and 2020, and the Brewers lost their only previous one in 1982. Whoever wins will be a first-time champion.
