What we covered here
- The Brewers are World Series champs! The Milwaukee Brewers have won the first World Series in franchise history, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday to complete a 4-1 series victory.
- Milwaukee wins Game 5, 4-1: It was a perfectly small-ball way for the Brewers to win the title. RBI singles from Cooper Pratt and David Hamilton, a big double from William Contreras, key defensive plays by first baseman Jake Bauers and excellent pitching from ace Jacob Misiorowski.
- Contreras named MVP: Brewers catcher William Contreras was named the World Series MVP after providing excellent work behind the plate as well as clutch hitting all series long.
- History made: The Brewers had only been to one World Series before this year, losing in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982.
- Labor implications: The Brewers’ win is a victory for the league’s smallest media market and 19th-biggest payroll. Those facts will be brought up repeatedly in the labor fight to come before baseball’s collective bargaining agreement expires December 1.
Updates
(41)Our live coverage of Game 5 of the World Series has ended. For a full recap of the Brewers’ World Series-clinching victory, read below.
Brewers win first World Series title in franchise history with dominant Game 5 win
The Milwaukee Brewers put on a masterclass in every facet of the game as they beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 to win their first World Series title in franchise history in five games on Wednesday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
In a game that saw both teams’ aces go head-to-head, it was the Brewers’ Cy Young candidate Jacob Misiorowski besting Rays ace Drew Rasmussen.
The NL Cy Young frontrunner went five-and-two-thirds innings, striking out two while only allowing two hits before exiting the game with an apparent cramp in his leg. Rasmussen was pulled after four innings with him being on short rest and a reported pitch count of 60.
The real story was the Brewers offense – especially rookie shortstop Cooper Pratt.
Pratt got the scoring started in the second inning with an RBI single, scoring Brice Turang. And Milwaukee never looked back.
That wasn’t the only notable thing Pratt did – he made a little World Series history with his single. It was his sixth straight at-bat with a hit, the most for a rookie in Fall Classic history.
But it was the sixth inning when things went up a notch. William Contreras’ RBI double scored a run and then he would score on Pratt’s sacrifice fly to build the lead to 4-0.
The Rays bullpen was able to settle in, using seven total pitchers, but the Tampa offense was sound asleep until Liam Hicks and Chandler Simpson both doubled in the ninth for the Rays, making the score 4-1.
Contreras was named the World Series MVP after batting .381 with four RBI.
The Brewers will now bring a World Series title back to Wisconsin.
In pictures: Brewers celebrate their first World Series title
For the first time in franchise history, the Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions.
The Brew Crew dominated the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5, winning 4-1 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Check out some of the best photos from the postgame celebrations:
Why baseball teams party so hard and so often in October
Let the spraying of champagne begin!
It’s the last party of the season in a long line of them.
Every major US sport has multi-round postseason schedules, but none of them party like MLB teams. Locker room celebrations in the NFL tend to be subdued until the Super Bowl, and since hockey players are famously superstitious, popping bottles early is practically verboten in the NHL; the Stanley Cup is all that really matters.
Boston Red Sox clubhouse manager Tom McLaughlin has spent over 40 years with the Red Sox, and he says he’s lost track of how many celebrations he’s been involved in, but he counts them in the dozens. He told CNN Sports it was “pretty tame” when he started in the ‘80s, when the postseason was much shorter, but the back end of the season now can feel like one enormous bender for the most successful teams.
Clinched a playoff spot? Party.
Successfully navigate the wildcard round? Let’s get wild.
Made it through the Divisional Round? Get another round in.
Won the Championship Series? We’re going on a spree.
By the time a baseball club wins the World Series, let’s just say that the celebration will not be their first rodeo. Everyone will have had plenty of practice.
Read more here on why baseball teams party all the time, party all the time, party all the time in October.
A lot of orange juice is about to head to Milwaukee
Florida’s Natural, the juice giant from the Sunshine State, is about to pay up.
Florida’s Natural and Johnsonville, the famous sausage company from Wisconsin, made a bet before the World Series. If the Rays won, Johnsonville would be sending 400,000 bratwursts to Tampa Bay for victory grilling.
But the Rays came up short. So instead, Florida’s Natural will be sending north enough orange juice to make 200,000 mimosas, according to a news release from Johnsonville.
“We’ve been making 44 year to make this wager, so we’re going big,” said Jamie Schmelzer, the vice president of marketing at Johnsonville.
Brewers closer: '10-year-old me would be so proud'
It’s a kid’s game played by grown men. But sometimes it’s nice to see that those men don’t lose sight of what it all means.
Trevor Megill closed out the game for the Brewers, getting the final six outs to clinch the World Series – a scenario that he dreamt about over and over.
“For the last two months or so, this is everything I could think of,” Megill told Fox. “You know, going to bed, coming to the field every single day. This moment right here.”
With a championship belt slung over his shoulder, Megill said: “This is just incredible, man. Ten-year-old me would be so proud.”
Brewers owner credits city of Milwaukee and fans for title win
Brewers owner Mark Attanasio credited the city of Milwaukee and Brewers fans for their title win.
“Milwaukee has waited 44 years and Milwaukee you have your world championship,” Attanasio shouted.
Attanasio’s last words before celebrating more? “GO BREWERS!”
William Contreras named World Series MVP
The Brewers’ star catcher William Contreras was named the MVP of the World Series, a well-deserved honor.
Contreras was excellent defensively behind the plate and made great use of his team Automatic Ball-Strike System challenges. He batted .381, knocked in four runs and was the spark plug for the team all series long.
“I don’t have words to say for how I’m feeling but I am just appreciative of my teammates. Appreciative of (Pat Murphy). I thank all of them,” Contreras said via his translator.
Contreras also called up star reliever Aaron Ashby, who was extremely complimentary of the catcher.
“He wants to compete every single day. He’d die for everyone on this team and he’d do anything for any of the guys on this team. He’s our bulldog and we love this dude,” Ashby said.
Rookie star Cooper Pratt marvels at his first season in the bigs
Milwaukee has waited 57 years for a World Series title. Cooper Pratt had to wait about four months.
Pratt, the Brewers shortstop who caught fire in this World Series at the plate, was called up to the Brewers in June. He found himself starting at shortstop in the Fall Classic just a few short months later and is now a champion.
“This is one of the greatest moments of my life. Oh my gosh,” he said, overwhelmed by the moment. “It doesn’t even feel real. Like, I don’t know. This is this is surreal. Only took four months!”
Pratt thanked Brewers fans and his teammates for being patient with him as he developed in the big leagues all season.
“The pressure is out of this world. It’s some of the hardest but most fun baseball I’ve ever been a part of,” he said. “I messed up a lot of times this postseason, but the guys picked. up, and we’re here, and we’re world champions. It’s so special, man. I’m so blessed.”
They did it for Ueck
Bob Uecker spent 54 seasons as the voice of the Milwaukee Brewers, narrating every game every summer until his death in January 2025.
His loss was keenly felt in Wisconsin and throughout baseball as he was one of the game’s most well-known personalities.
Uecker died without ever seeing the Brewers win a World Series title, but Christian Yelich said he had a feeling that Ueck was watching on Wednesday.
“He’s smiling, man. He’s smiling. I really wish he could have been here to see this,” Yelich told the Fox broadcast. “But like we said, a bunch – he’s been with us a lot and we keep him close to our hearts. And you know, this one’s still for Bob. This is for Ueck.”
An emotional Misiorowski on bringing title back to Milwaukee: 'I know they're going crazy'
Ace and NL Cy Young award frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski was emotional after helping lead the Brewers to their first title in franchise history.
“I don’t even have words,” Misiorowski told the Fox broadcast. “You know, it’s amazing. Just watching my guys celebrate. In the city, I know they’re going crazy in Milwaukee. It’s awesome.”
Miz gave props to his catcher William Contreras for helping him handle the emotions throughout the season.
“We’ve been talking this whole week, and expecting this moment. … I couldn’t have done it without him, and it’s been amazing with him this whole season,” Misiorowski said.
A career-capping moment for Brewer captain Christian Yelich
Christian Yelich’s arrival in Milwaukee in 2018 marked a turning point for the franchise, making him the centerpiece of the next eras of Brewers baseball.
Yelich won the MVP that year and remained one of the biggest parts of the team, even as injuries robbed him of some of the production he had earlier in his career. With this title, he finally gets to call himself a World Series champion.
“I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s the best feeling ever. All of our fans are here,” Yelich told the Fox broadcast. “I know the city’s waited a long, long time for this, and we’re so happy to bring it home to them.
“Can’t wait to get back there and celebrate. I wish everybody could experience what this feels like. It feels amazing.”
The Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions!
The Milwaukee Brewers have erased nearly six decades of heartache, defeating the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 to clinch the franchise’s first World Series title.
The Brewers used their small-ball ways, leaning on clutch hitting, stellar defense and exquisite pitching from ace Jacob Misiorowski to claim Game 5 and win the title. It was a fitting exhibition of Brewers baseball that carried them to baseball’s best record in the regular season and saw them roll through the postseason.
RBI singles from Cooper Pratt and David Hamilton built the lead in the second and fifth innings, but it was the sixth when things went up a notch. William Contreras’ RBI double scored a run and then he would score on Pratt’s sacrifice fly to build the lead to 4-0.
Liam Hicks and Chandler Simpson both doubled in the ninth for the Rays, making the score 4-1.
It’s an incredible moment for the city of Milwaukee’s baseball fans. The Brewers had only been to one World Series before this year, losing in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982. After coming within three outs of the title on Tuesday and falling short, the Brewers will get to go back to Milwaukee for a victory parade rather than Game 6.
The Brewers’ win is a victory for the league’s smallest media market and 19th-biggest payroll. Notably, the Brewers swept the big-money Los Angeles Dodgers to get to the World Series, a major bit of payback for a franchise has been building toward this moment for a decade.
Final score: Brewers 4, Rays 1
Another quick inning for the Rays bullpen as their final chance approaches
Ian Seymour was the next man up from the Rays bullpen and was able to get the Brewers to go down 1-2-3 as their final chance to extend the World Series is now here.
After a disaster sixth inning for the Tampa bullpen, they have rebounded nicely despite using seven pitchers this game.
As we previously said, it was do-or-die time for the Rays as the Brewers are three outs from a title.
Score: Brewers 4, Rays 0
Rays at risk of a shutout in their do-or-die game
It’s not the Rays’ year.
They have put so many balls in play tonight, including a ball hit 356 feet by Yandy Díaz with an expected batting average of .480 that turned into just a loud out when it was caught on the warning track.
But ultimately, they’re three outs away from going home empty handed and have yet to push a run across tonight.
Score: Brewers 4, Rays 0
Rays bullpen settles in as Brewers go down in order
It appears the Rays bullpen has finally settled in as Bryan Baker retired the heart of the Brewers’ lineup in order.
Heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, Tampa Bay needs to step on the gas offensively or they risk their season ending tonight.
Score: Brewers 4, Rays 0
Rays' season slipping away
Have you heard Chandler Simpson is fast?
Sure, there was an error on the play, but that’s because Simpson’s speed forced William Contreras to make a rushed throw on a swinging bunt that Statcast measured going just one foot.
Simpson wound up on second base after the throw sailed past the outstretched first baseman (and into the absurdly un-enclosed bullpen located in foul territory).
The runner in scoring position prompted the Brewers to bring in Abner Uribe, who got Richie Palacios to ground out on the first pitch. Victor Mesa, Jr. battles through a nine-pitch at bat, but ultimately he grounds out, too.
Rays are down to six outs to score at least four runs to save their season.
Score: Brewers 4, Rays 0
Matz steadies the ship for the Rays with quick inning
Despite a Jackson Chourio leadoff single – his 11th hit of the World Series – Steven Matz was able to make quick work of Jake Bauers and Christian Yelich to get out of the inning.
Rays batters will need to show some signs of life as they will be facing the battle-tested Brewers bullpen the rest of the way.
Score: Brewers 4, Rays 0
Jacob Misiorowski is out of this game and the Rays are out of the 6th
Just like that, Jacob Misiorowski’s night is over.
The Miz was on cruise control before getting Junior Caminero to fly out to right. He throws one pitch to Liam Hicks and it’s fouled off, and suddenly the Brewers’ trainer is coming out to the mound.
Misiorowski’s longest postseason start – his last appearance before winning the Cy Young award – would end prematurely with what appears to be a cramp.
It’s a shame, at just 86 pitches in the sixth inning, it would have been compelling to see how deep he could go.
But he left with a four-run lead and his team 10 outs from winning the World Series.
It didn’t take long for JoJo Romero to get out of the inning, getting Hicks to ground out to end the sixth. The Brewers are nine outs away from their first World Series title.
Score: Brewers 4, Rays 0
Pratt making his case for World Series MVP with another big at-bat
Cooper Pratt has been one of, if not the most important players on the Brewers this World Series.
After making history his previous at-bat, he looked to make it seven straight at-bats with a hit.
While it didn’t result in a hit, his sacrifice fly brought in Milwaukee’s fourth run of the game as things are unraveling for the Rays since Drew Rasmussen was taken out and the bullpen came in. Pratt’s 1.000 batting average in the last few games still stands.
The 22-year-old Pratt now has a team-high seven RBI’s this series.
Steven Matz was able to get David Hamilton to fly out to end the inning, stranding Brice Turang on third base.
Rays are running out of time to extend this series.
Score: Brewers 4, Rays 0
