Brewers and Rays Guarantee a First-Time World Series Champion in 2026
The 2026 champion will be a first-time World Series winner because both Milwaukee and Tampa Bay have never won. Cleveland has the longest active drought at 78 seasons, dating to 1948, and its 2026 run ended in an ALCS loss to the Rays. Milwaukee has never won in 57 seasons since the franchise began as the Seattle Pilots in 1969.
Milwaukee’s franchise started in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots and moved to Wisconsin the following year. Its only World Series appearance came in 1982; despite nine playoff trips from 2008 through 2025, it never advanced beyond the NLCS. In 2026 it had baseball’s best regular-season record and its first 100-win season, earning a first-round bye.
Milwaukee will meet the Padres-Cubs wild-card winner. Cleveland’s 78-season title wait continued after a third straight AL Central crown and an ALCS loss to Tampa Bay. San Diego, also founded in 1969, has appeared in two World Series and won one game.
A first-time champion could energize fan bases in Milwaukee or Tampa Bay, giving those cities a shared reason for civic celebration. Long-suffering Cleveland and San Diego supporters may feel renewed hope—or sharper disappointment—as familiar droughts persist. Local businesses and media outlets could see brief spikes in attention, while neutral fans may appreciate the novelty of a new titleholder.