Bold predictions for Brewers-Rays' World Series matchup

After 44 years without a pennant, the Milwaukee Brewers are back in the World Series. Their quest for the franchise's first title won't be easy, as their opponent, the Tampa Bay Rays, are also in search of their first World Series championship and play a similarly strong brand of baseball to the Brewers.

The series is bound to feature momentum-shifting plays, unexpected performances, and players who rise to the occasion on baseball’s biggest stage. As such, here are four bold predictions for what could unfold in the World Series matchup between the Brewers and Rays.

4 bold predictions for the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays' World Series matchup

1. Sal Frelick delivers a clutch home run

After a rather disappointing regular season, Sal Frelick is seeing the ball well during the postseason, with three hits and four walks through just five games played to prove it. Frelick also has two stolen bases to his name during the month of October. Paired with that solid playoff performance, the fact that Tampa's starting rotation is all right-handed, means it's reasonable to expect Frelick to get plenty of chances at the plate this series.

While certainly not known for his power, Frelick does have a knack for coming up clutch in key situations -- his lone postseason long ball came in Game 3 of the 2024 NLWCS against the New York Mets, when he went back-to-back with Jake Bauers in the seventh inning. A home run from an unlikely source could be a defining moment in this series, and Frelick has shown the ability to rise to that occasion in the past.

2. A Brewers reliever other than Trevor Megill, Aaron Ashby, or Abner Uribe gets a save in the series

Pat Murphy has relied heavily on his bullpen throughout the postseason, with Logan Henderson and Robert Gasser’s five-inning outings marking the longest starts from Milwaukee’s rotation this October. Although the relievers have benefited from a week off to rest and recover, expect Murphy to continue to turn to his high-leverage arms early and often in the World Series, meaning he will not be afraid to use Trevor Megill, Aaron Ashby, or Abner Uribe, even if his team doesn't have the lead.

That approach could create an opportunity for an unexpected name to emerge as a late-game option and record a save. Perhaps it's DL Hall or JoJo Romero getting the call to close out an extra-inning game, or Misiorowski emerging from the bullpen to seal a victory -- the point is Murphy's reliever trust tree is deep and he has lots of options to choose from. Few were expecting Ashby to earn two saves in the NLCS, but Murphy and the Brewers tend to surprise their opponents in the postseason.

3. Rays' DH Yandy Díaz fails to record an extra-base hit

Junior Caminero may be the Rays’ most feared hitter, but Yandy Díaz has been leading the way offensively this postseason. His 12 hits rank second most across all teams, with half going for extra bases, including four doubles and two home runs. Díaz is clearly seeing the ball well at the plate, making him a key player Milwaukee will need to contain if the Brewers hope to slow down Tampa Bay’s offense.

That said, Milwaukee is the only team Díaz has a career batting average under .200 against -- he currently sits at a .196 batting average across 15 games. However, when Díaz has connected against Brewers pitching, he’s done plenty of damage, with seven of his 11 hits going for extra bases. Given his career history and current postseason form, keeping him completely hitless is a tall task, but if Milwaukee can find a way to limit him to just singles, it would go a long way toward boosting the Brewers’ chances of winning their first World Series title.

4. Aaron Ashby wins World Series MVP

If predicting a player entering the World Series with 12.1 scoreless innings this postseason to win MVP doesn’t sound particularly bold, let's consider how rare it is for a reliever to take home the award. Mariano Rivera was the last to accomplish the feat in 1999. Since then, 27 World Series have been played, with just seven pitchers earning World Series MVP honors, all of whom were starters.

Assuming Murphy continues to lean heavily on Aaron Ashby in the World Series, like he did throughout the NLDS and NLCS, the left-hander’s workload and effectiveness could make him a legitimate MVP candidate. While recording another three-inning save might not be reasonable, Ashby doesn’t necessarily need to close out games to make his mark. If he continues putting up zeros and shutting down some of the league’s best hitters, his impact could be impossible to overlook, even if he isn’t the one closing out games.

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