Brewers ace Misiorowski leads Milwaukee to World Series title on short rest

Milwaukee secured its fourth World Series title in franchise history by defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3 in Game 5 on Wednesday night. The victory capped a five-game sweep and concluded a postseason campaign in which the Brewers won 11 of 13 games. Jacob Misiorowski, the team's primary starting pitcher, played a central role in the final two contests of the series.

Misiorowski started both Game 1 and Game 5, covering 10 2/3 innings combined while allowing only one run. In the decisive matchup at Tropicana Field, he faced mechanical difficulties related to the footing at the landing spot of the pitcher's mound. Despite these issues, he induced 10 flyball outs, several of which traveled deep into the outfield. He left the game after 5 2/3 innings due to a right leg cramp, having allowed two hits and one walk while striking out two batters.

The 24-year-old right-hander, who led the National League with 252 strikeouts during the regular season, managed his command by limiting walks. He worked around high pitches in the zone to maintain leverage without relying heavily on the strikeout. Training staff consulted with him on the mound after he delivered a pitch and felt the tightness, leading to his early exit. Misiorowski noted that while he preferred to finish the game, he left everything on the mound.

Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen started Game 5 on three days of rest after pitching in relief in Game 4. The Rays had used six relievers for eight innings in the previous contest, forcing Rasmussen to pitch on short notice. He allowed one run on two hits with four strikeouts in four innings. Rays manager Kevin Cash praised Rasmussen for sticking to a planned limit of 60 pitches or four innings, calling the decision to remove him from the game straightforward.

Brewers shortstop Cooper Pratt set a rookie World Series record by collecting hits in six consecutive at-bats across the series. The 22-year-old recorded two hits and two RBIs in the final game, following a four-hit performance in Game 4. Pratt, who made his major league debut four months prior, acknowledged the historic nature of his performance while being doused with champagne by Brewers Hall of Fame shortstop Robin Yount. He noted that he had not hit four times in a single game in a long time.

The Brewers became the fourth consecutive team to win the World Series on the road. The team ended its regular season losing streak on Sept. 6, and it did not lose consecutive games during the postseason. Second baseman Brice Turang described the team's performance as expected, stating that the group was that good. Tampa Bay had previously fallen behind 3-0 in the series, a feat no team had accomplished prior to this year. The Rays finished with a 2-1 postseason record and a 2.20 ERA in five starts.

Sportsbooks have already set the odds for the 2027 World Series, with the Los Angeles Dodgers listed as favorites. FanDuel opened the market with the Dodgers at +360, the Brewers at +600, and the New York Yankees at +750. DraftKings placed the Dodgers at +310, making them the strongest option among all teams. The Colorado Rockies received the longest odds at +50000 for the second consecutive year, matching the odds of the Chicago White Sox at the end of the 2025 season.