The Tampa Bay Rays have reached the 2026 World Series. They’ll take on the Milwaukee Brewers in what promises to be a classic.
These teams had the best records in baseball this season. The Brewers won 103 games in the National League. The Rays won 100 games in the American League.
They’re far from the biggest market or the biggest payroll, but they’re the best teams — and that’s what this championship series gets to be all about this season.
The Rays have built toward consistent excellence like this since their first season as an expansion team in 1998.
The early years of Tampa Bay, then known as the Devil Rays, were rough. But they slowly started to find success, and they’ve had a lot of it in recent years.
Their appearance in the World Series doesn’t feel common, though, and that’s true — it’s not common.
Here’s what to know about the Rays’ World Series history:
Have the Rays Won the World Series?
The Tampa Bay Rays have not won the World Series entering the 2026 edition.
They have made it just twice, and they came up short both times
Tampa Bay Rays’ World Series History
The Rays have made the World Series twice before, back in 2008 and again in 2020.
The Philadelphia Phillies won that 2008 series four games to one.
The Rays had reached the series thanks to an ALCS MVP performance from Matt Garza, but Cole Hamels won World Series MVP as the Phillies proved superior in the Fall Classic.
Those Rays were managed by Joe Maddon.
They featured franchise legends like Evan Longoria and Carl Crawford. Their lineup also had players like B.J. Upton, Carlos Pena, Dioner Navarro, Jason Bartlett and Ben Zobrist.
The Rays’ pitching staff was led by David Price and Scott Kazmier. They also had James Shields, Garza, Edwin Jackson, Grant Balfour, J.P. Howell and Chad Bradford.
The only game the Rays won in the series was Game 2 at Tropicana Field, a 4-2 victory that featured 5.2 scoreless innings from Shields, then a scoreless frame from Dan Wheeler before David Price held on in 2.1 innings out of the bullpen. The Rays got two hits from Upton, Navarro and Bartlett each in the win.
That 2008 season was actually the first year the Rays ever made the playoffs.
The Dodgers beat the Rays in the 2020 World Series 4-2 with all the games played in the Texas Rangers‘ home ballpark due to COVID restrictions.
The 2020 year was when Randy Arozarena hit 10 home runs in the postseason, including three in the World Series. Brandon Lowe also hit three World Series homers.
Current Rays leadoff hitter Yandy Diaz went 4-for-12 in the 2020 World Series. The only pitcher remaining from that team is the injured Shane McClanahan.
The Rays have gone 3-0 all-time in their ALCS appearances. When they make it there, they advance.
They’ll try to change the finish this time around — against a Milwaukee Brewers team also seeking its first-ever World Series title.
Have the Rays Won the World Series? Tampa Bay History in Fall Classic