On Friday night, the Milwaukee Brewers will host a World Series game for the first time in 44 years, when the Tampa Bay Rays come to American Family Field for Game 1 of the Fall Classic. First pitch is at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.
The Brewers swept the Los Angeles Dodgers on October 15 to reach their first World Series since 1982, when they lost to the St Louis Cardinals in seven games. The Rays needed six games to put away the Cleveland Guardians, winning 7-3 in the decider to take the American League pennant.
Game 1 pairs Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, the National League Cy Young favourite, against Tampa Bay’s Drew Rasmussen. Misiorowski went 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA in the regular season; Rasmussen was 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA, according to Sports Illustrated’s Game 1 preview.
A city 44 years in the making
For Milwaukee, this is more than a ballgame. The 1982 Brewers lost the “Suds Series” to St Louis back when Milwaukee was still an American League club, and generations of fans have waited since for another chance. As Sportsnet notes, this is the first World Series between two title-less teams since the Phillies beat the Royals in 1980, so a first-time champion is guaranteed.
The Brewers have had a full week off since the sweep, time to set their pitching plans, while the Rays arrive battle-tested after coming back from a 2-1 deficit in the ALCS. Milwaukee took two of three from Tampa Bay at home early in the season.
What decides Game 1
Rust versus rhythm is the subplot. The Brewers have not played a competitive game in over a week; the Rays had only three days off. Our earlier breakdown of the pitching matchup looked at the duel in detail, and the opener sets the tone for everything that follows.
Whatever happens Friday, Milwaukee’s 44-year wait ends with baseball’s biggest stage back in Wisconsin.
