Story perspectives

Rays Clinch ALCS 7-3, Set World Series vs Brewers

By Drooid · Oct 20, 2026, 10:22 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Rays Clinch ALCS

The Tampa Bay Rays clinched the ALCS with a 7-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians.
Junior Caminero hit a two-run home run that gave the Rays an early lead.
Yandy Diaz added a two-run homer, extending the Rays’ lead to five runs.
Freddy Peralta threw 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run.
The win sends the Rays to face the Milwaukee Brewers, both chasing first titles since 1980.

Summary

Brewers Earn World Series

The Brewers and Rays reached the World Series despite being among MLB’s lowest-spending teams, a rarity since 1991.
Milwaukee posted an MLB-high 103 wins, giving it home-field advantage over Tampa Bay’s 98-64 record.
Tampa Bay’s stadium received a $60 million roof renovation after Hurricane Milton and will host games starting August 2025.
The Rays secured new ownership before the season and signed a stadium deal for a new ballpark opening in 2029.

Summary

Weather Forces Postponement

Rain postponed ALCS Game 4 at Progressive Field, the first series rain delay since 2019.
Game 4 will be played Saturday at 8 p.m. ET.
Game 5 is rescheduled for Sunday at 5 p.m., creating an off-day.
Cleveland will start Shawn Armstrong and Tampa Bay will start Nick Martinez as scheduled.
Games 6 and 7 stay on original dates, compressing four games into four consecutive days across two cities.

History

Historical Context

In 1991 the Minnesota Twins, owned by Carl Pohlad and managed by Tom Kelly, rose from a 74-88 last-place finish in 1990 to a 95-67 record and a seven-game World Series win over the Atlanta Braves—the first club to capture a championship after finishing last the prior season. Their $44 million payroll proved that disciplined budgeting could rival big-market teams, a model echoed by today’s low-spending clubs.

1 of 4

Rays Clinch ALCS

The Tampa Bay Rays clinched the ALCS with a 7-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians.
Junior Caminero hit a two-run home run that gave the Rays an early lead.
Yandy Diaz added a two-run homer, extending the Rays’ lead to five runs.
Freddy Peralta threw 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run.
The win sends the Rays to face the Milwaukee Brewers, both chasing first titles since 1980.

1 / 4