What is the World Series?
The World Series is the final round of Major League Baseball's postseason, played each autumn between the champions of the American League and the National League. The first team to win four games takes the title. In the current series, the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers are the teams, and the Rays forced a Game 5 by winning Game 4.
Why it's in the news
The Rays won Game 4 in 12 innings to avoid a sweep, and Junior Caminero left that game with an apparent injury. Tampa Bay now faces Game 5.
- Junior Caminero — Caminero exits World Series Game 4 with apparent injury
Background
Major League Baseball, usually called MLB, is the top professional baseball league in the United States. Its teams are divided into two leagues, the American League and the National League. Each season ends with a postseason, and the two league champions meet in the World Series. The series is played as a best-of-seven, so a team must win four games to be champion.
The 2026 series is between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee led the series 3-0 before Game 4. The Rays won Game 4 by a score of 4-3 in 12 innings, with a walk-off single by Ben Williamson, and avoided a sweep. No team in World Series history has come back from a 0-3 deficit to win, and the Rays would be the first to do so, and the Rays now face Game 5. Junior Caminero, a 23-year-old third baseman for Tampa Bay, was 2-for-10 in the series before Game 4 and left that game limping in the deciding inning. Coverage has also centered on a fifth-inning play in Game 3 that drew debate. Game 3 was a 10-1 Brewers win.
The World Series matters because it decides the champion of the entire MLB season. Fans follow each game closely, and the result of Game 5 will decide whether the series continues or ends.
What people are asking
What is the World Series?
It is the final round of Major League Baseball's postseason, a best-of-seven series between the American League and National League champions. The first team to four wins is the champion.
Who is playing in the 2026 World Series?
The Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee led 3-0 before Tampa Bay won Game 4 by 4-3 in 12 innings.
What is the World Series score?
Milwaukee led the series 3-0 before Game 4. Tampa Bay won Game 4 by 4-3 in 12 innings, so the series stands at 3-1 for Milwaukee.
Did Junior Caminero play in Game 4?
Yes. He left the game limping in the deciding inning with an apparent injury. Sources do not say whether he will play in Game 5.
What happened in World Series Game 3?
Milwaukee beat Tampa Bay 10-1. A fifth-inning play involving Caminero has drawn debate since that game.
When is World Series Game 5?
Sources do not give a date or time for Game 5. They state only that Tampa Bay now faces Game 5.