For the first time in nearly 50 years, the MLB is guaranteed to have a first-time champion.
The 1980 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals was the last Fall Classic to feature two teams who had never won it all.
That matchup saw the Phillies take down the Royals in six games to lift their first Commissioner’s Trophy.
Forty-six years later, the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays each stormed through their respective postseason paths to reach baseball’s penultimate series.
Will history repeat itself and the National League’s Brewers take home the trophy? Or will the Rays avenge their two previous World Series losses and finally bring home a championship?
Sports co-editor Ethan Diamond and contributor Cooper Newmark debate which team will take it home.
Tampa Bay Rays
By Ethan Diamond
The Rays were underdogs in a loaded AL East, and yet they ran away with the division with relative ease.
Now, they once again find themselves as underdogs against a loaded Brewers side.
Their pitching might be the only unit in the sport, top to bottom, that can counter what Milwaukee has built this season.
Drew Rasmussen has been one of the most underrated pitchers in the sport and has been able to showcase his ace ability on the national level this postseason. Former Brewers ace Freddy Peralta joined the team midseason following a disappointing first half with the New York Mets and is coming off an ALCS in which he was named MVP of the series. A strong bullpen follows that rotation, anchored by closer Bryan Baker, who has not blown a save since May.
The Rays really bring their heat with their offense, though.
Junior Caminero has emerged as one of the best young players in the sport. The 23-year-old is coming off of back-to-back 40-plus home run seasons and is cementing himself as a future MVP candidate. Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda continued to perform at their established All-Star levels and Victor Mesa Jr. was one of baseball’s biggest surprises this season after being cut by the Marlins in February.
This Rays team has the pitching and offense to be able to take down anyone. They swept the Yankees and then overpowered the Guardians; now they face one more obstacle in the form of the team with the best record in the sport the last two years.
With how they’ve played, Tampa Bay will finally get over the hurdle and take home the World Series.
Milwaukee Brewers
By Cooper Newmark
The Brewers have been the best team in all of Major League Baseball for the entire season. They finished with the best record in the league for the second straight season
Yet that alone doesn’t properly illustrate how dominant they have been, having the best run differential in the league with a +214.
Their bullpen performance just might be even more spectacular. Milwaukee’s relief staff has posted a smothering 1.33 ERA led by the likes of Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby. They have a bullpen that is capable of crushing teams before giving them a chance to build a lead. The bullpen gives the Brewers a safety blanket, knowing the depth and talent there is immense.
The bullpen isn’t the only area in which the Brewers are fantastic; they led the league in on-base percentage at .341. They also led the league in team baserunning and team batting average. Their offense is powered by top hitters in Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Jake Bauers and Brice Turang.
Milwaukee’s starting rotation is also stout.
Led by likely Cy Young Jacob Misiorowski and a strong second option in the emerging Logan Henderson and a three-time champion in Dustin May, Milwaukee took care of business against the Dodgers in four games.
The Brewers are also more rested than the Rays. Milwaukee are the better regular-season team, the better team at beating teams by the largest margin, the best OBP, a dominant ERA and with more rest they are well-prepared to return to American Family Field and defend their best record in the sport.
The Rays may be the better story, yet the Brewers are the better team.
