Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda did his part in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night in Milwaukee against the Brewers, but it was not enough in the 3-2 loss. Aranda went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate out of the two-hole for the Rays with a run scored and a walk. It was the second three-hit game of this postseason for the 28-year-old left-handed slugger, and Aranda has now gone 12-for-38 (.316) with a homer, five RBI, and five runs scored in 10 postseason games this year for the Rays. However, Aranda has not homered since Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the division-rival New York Yankees on Oct. 3. The Rays are going to need Aranda's bat to stay hot if they are going to have any chance of taking down the red-hot Brewers in this year's Fall Classic, especially after falling down 1-0 on Friday night. Aranda broke out during the 2026 regular season in his third full season in the majors, slashing .274/.358/.434 with a .792 OPS, 22 home runs, 92 RBI, and 73 runs scored in 155 games and 668 plate appearances.

Milwaukee Brewers All-Star catcher William Contreras is not slowing down this postseason. In the 3-2 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays at American Family Field on Friday night in Game 1 of the World Series, Contreras was at it again, going 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and a walk. Contreras had a scorching RBI single off the glove of Rays shortstop Taylor Walls to put the Brewers up 2-0, and he also threw out a runner at third base late in the game to end an inning. The All-Star backstop threw out two Rays baserunners in the game. "Contreras was incredible," manager Pat Murphy said. "If anybody doesn't notice the contributions of Contreras, he was the player of the game." The 28-year-old Venezuelan has been doing it all season, and it has not stopped with the calendar switching to October. In nine postseason games for the Brew Crew, Contreras has gone 13-for-33 (.394) with three home runs, a double, six RBI, and five runs scored in 39 plate appearances. He is the heart and soul of Milwaukee's offense and defense as they seek their first-ever World Series title.

Milwaukee Brewers veteran outfielder/designated hitter Christian Yelich made his mark in the team's 3-2 Game 1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays at American Family Field on Friday night, going 1-for-4 at the plate with an RBI triple and a run scored. Yelich got the Brewers on the board first in the first inning, when a ball he hit into the right-center field gap was nearly caught by Rays center fielder Johnny DeLuca. Yelich's triple gave the Brewers an early lead that they would never relinquish on their way to taking a 1-0 series lead. The 34-year-old entered Friday night with the sixth-most career games among active players without playing an a World Series. He is also the seventh player to hit a triple in his first World Series at-bat, the first since the Royals' Lynn Jones did it as a pinch-hitter in Game 1 of 1985. Yelich has swung a hot bat in eight postseason games so far this year, going 8-for-28 (.286) with a double, a triple, four RBI, four runs scored, and two stolen bases. The Brewers' captain is hoping to keep it up as he tries to lead the Brew Crew to their first-ever World Series title.

Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski picked up the victory in Game 1 of the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night, allowing only one earned run on four hits while walking one and striking out three in five innings of work. The Miz helped his team get off to a great start in the Fall Classic, but he struck out a season-low three hitters and did not have his typical swing-and-miss stuff going, which has been a theme so far for the flamethrower in the postseason. The good news is that he was still effective while making his longest start of the playoffs. The 24-year-old former second-rounder now has allowed four earned runs on 13 hits with five walks and 14 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings pitched in his three starts this postseason against the Rays, San Diego Padres, and Los Angeles Dodgers. If the Brewers do not sweep the series from the Rays in four games, Misiorowski will be lined up to start Game 5 of the World Series in Tampa.