The World Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers is a rare beast, marking only the sixth time in the Wild Card Era that two No. 1 seeds have battled it out for the trophy. These aren’t just any teams, either: the Brewers racked up an insane 103 wins and the Rays snagged 98 this season. Forget the “small-market” chatter, these clubs are titans, packed with star power, and they’ve earned their spot at the top of their respective leagues. This is the heavyweight bout everyone craves, but hardly ever gets.
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Think about it, back before 1969, the World Series was *always* between the teams with the best record in each league. Simple, right? Then came the League Championship Series, and by 1995, the wild card was introduced, totally blowing up the playoff structure and inviting more upsets than ever before. Suddenly, getting the two best records, the No. 1 seeds, all the way to the Fall Classic became a lot tougher. That’s why this Rays vs. Brewers matchup, with both teams coming in as the best in their league, feels so special. It’s just the sixth time we’ve seen it in the entire Wild Card Era. Six! That’s how hard it is to get here.
The Five Legendary Battles That Came Before
When you get two No. 1 seeds duking it out, you expect fireworks. The previous five matchups sure delivered:
1995: Atlanta Braves 4, Cleveland 2
Just a year after MLB’s labor dispute canceled the season, Cleveland was the best team in baseball at 100-44. But it was the Braves, who were 10 games back in the regular season, that took home the trophy in six games. This series was tight, with five of the six games being one-run nail-biters. Game 4 was the only outlier, a 5-2 Braves win. Tom Glavine was an absolute monster, posting a 1.29 ERA in his two starts to grab MVP honors. Greg Maddux wasn’t far behind with a 2.25 ERA. Ryan Klesko blasted three homers for the Braves, who launched eight dingers overall.
1999: New York Yankees 4, Atlanta Braves 0
The dynasty Yankees just kept rolling, winning 98 games that season. But the Braves actually had the best record in MLB at 103 wins. Didn’t matter one bit. The Yankees absolutely crushed Atlanta, sweeping them in four games and outscoring them 21-9. Mariano Rivera locked down a win and two saves to earn MVP. Derek Jeter hit a scorching .353, and the pitching trio of Roger Clemens, David Cone, and Orlando Hernandez were simply dominant.
2013: Boston Red Sox 4, St. Louis Cardinals 2
More than a decade passed before we saw another top-seed showdown. The Red Sox snagged Game 1, but then dropped the next two. They were down in Game 4’s fifth inning when the legendary David Ortiz rallied his teammates with a fiery pep talk. Jonny Gomes then ripped a three-run homer in the sixth, putting the Red Sox ahead for good. They never looked back, winning the title in six. Big Papi himself was the MVP, putting up an absurd 11 for 16 (.688) with two doubles, two homers, six RBI, eight walks, and only one strikeout, for an unbelievable 1.948 OPS. Jon Lester was also lights out, going 2-0 with a ridiculous 0.59 ERA.
2020: Los Angeles Dodgers 4, Tampa Bay Rays 2
Ah, 2020. The 60-game season, no fans, unforgettable. MLB opened the playoffs to 16 teams, yet somehow, the two best teams still found a way to emerge. The Dodgers, with a 43-17 record, faced off against the Rays, who went 40-20. The Dodgers ultimately won it in six games.
So here we are, another World Series with the two best teams in baseball squaring off. It’s a testament to their regular-season grind and proves that sometimes, the cream truly does rise to the top. Get ready for an epic battle, because when the No. 1 seeds clash, it’s always one for the ages!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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