What is the story about?
Good
morning. The World Series starts tonight.
- Mike Petriello has a position-by-position breakdown of the Brewers and Rays.
- Kiley McDaniel ranks every player on the Rays and Brewers, 1 to 52.
- Andrew Simon ranks the ten best hitters in the World Series this year.
- Matthew Roberson demonstrates how the Rays’ Yandy Díaz is the most complete hitter in baseball. (Fangraphs paywall)
- Jake Mintz and Russell Dorsey give a position-by-position World Series preview.
- Ben Clemens has a World Series preview. (Fangraphs paywall)
- Bradford Doolittle compares the Rays to the Brewers and finds how much the two teams are alike and different.
- Mike Petriello notes how one of the Brewers’ strengths on offense and the Rays strengths on defense will come into conflict in the World Series.
- Tom Verducci has nine factors that could decide the World Series.
- Michael Baumann asks if the Rays can overcome Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski. (Fangraphs paywall)
- Eno Sarris asks if the Rays or the Brewers have the edge in pitching. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- David Schoenfield argues that this year’s World Series has the potential to be a classic.
- The MLB dot com staff make their World Series predictions.
- CBS Sports baseball staff make their World Series predictions.
- The Athletic staff make their World Series predictions. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- Dayn Perry has three reasons the Rays will win the World Series.
- Matt Snyder has three reasons the Brewers will win the World Series.
- Jared Greenspan explains how the Brewers might pitch to the Rays’ Junior Caminero.
- Matt Snyder writes that the World Series will give Caminero and the Brewers’ Jackson Chourio a national platform to become well-known superstars.
- Grant Brisbee (Giants fan) argues that by beating the Dodgers, the Brewers are already champions. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- The Rays have a reputation for not having fans, but longtime diehard Rays fan (and basketball broadcaster) Dick Vitale is thrilled with the Rays trip to the Series.
- Bob Nightengale looks at how Milwaukee is reacting to the Brewers return to the Fall Classic. The city is going nuts.
- Jayson Stark says that the Rays and the Brewers being in the World Series show that maybe the sport isn’t broken.(The Athletic sub. req.)
- Russell Dorsey shows how player development played a big role in the Brewers’ first pennant since 1982.
- Tyler Kepner looks at how trades involving David Price, Willy Adames and Drew Rasmussen built both the Rays and the Brewers.(The Athletic sub. req.)
- Adam Berry and Adam McCalvy point out that the real “x-factor” in the Series are the two roofs at the two home stadiums. While Milwaukee’s roof is retractable, the forecasts are that it will be closed for the entire Series, making this the first World Series played entirely indoors.
- J.J. Post takes us back to what baseball was like in 1982, the last time the Brewers made the Fall Classic.
- Andy McCullough asks MLB players: Do you watch the postseason if your team isn’t playing? (The Athletic sub. req.)
- The Angels announced that interim general manager John Mozeliak and manager Kurk Suzuki will not be back in 2027.
- The Yankees have come to an agreement with general manager Brian Cashmanto stay as GM. Is there any other non-owner in baseball who has been in the same job since the 20th century? Cashman has been the Yankees GM since 1998.
- Guardians manager Stephen Vogt says he will return to manage the team in 2027.There had been rumors that the Mariners were interested in poaching him.
- The winners of the Fielding Bible Awards were announced. Alex Bregman won the award for third base. Pete Crow-Armstrong won the award for center field as well as the overall Player of the Year. The Cubs were named the defensive Team of the Year.
- Sad news as former first baseman Todd Benzinger died at age 63. Benzinger was the starting first baseman on the Reds last World Series-winning team in 1990. Our condolences go out to Benzinger’s family, friends and former teammates.
- The Dodgers say that they “fully expect” Shohei Ohtani to pitch in 2027. Mike Axisa has three suggestions on how the Dodgers should handle it.
- Dan Szymborski has a postseason report card on Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts. (Fangraphs paywall)
- Mark Feinsand has everything we know right now about the free agency of Tarik Skubal.
- Jake Mintz and Jordan Schusterman rank the top 50 free agents this winter.
- Will Leitch has five pitchers the Cardinals could target in free agency.
- Andy McCullough tells you why you should expect a free agent signing frenzy after the World Series (The Athletic sub. req.) as teams and free agents try to sign before the December 1 lockout.
- Davy Andrews announced that Fangraphs has fired the (fictional) writer behind the BLEPH metric that was featured in The Onion.
- Nick Selbe has a feature on MLB on Fox, which he calls baseball’s best studio show.
- And finally, Johnny Flores Jr. explains how the Brewers’ playoff anthem is sweeping Milwaukee and all of MLB. (Free The Athletic reg. req.)
