The 2026 postseason is locked in: a team that has never hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy before is guaranteed to be crowned champion. Seriously, this isn’t a drill. Both the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays have reached this point without a single World Series title to their name, meaning one of these franchises is about to rewrite its entire history. It’s wild to think about, especially with 18 MLB teams still staring down at least a 20-year drought.
Milwaukee’s Century Mark And A Date With Destiny
The Brewers are absolutely red-hot, coming off a 2026 regular season that saw them post the best record in all of baseball. Think about that: Milwaukee’s first-ever 100-win campaign! That kind of dominance earned them a first-round bye in the postseason, and now they’re just waiting to face the winner of the Padres-Cubs NL Wild Card Series. It’s truly their shot to end the longest title drought for any team that has never won a championship. This team, which actually started out in 1969 as the Seattle Pilots before moving and rebranding in 1970, has had a few bites at the apple. They made the World Series in ’82 and lost, and while they’ve hit the playoffs nine times between 2008 and 2025, they only got to the NLCS three times and never beyond it. Their pennant drought is almost as long as their championship one, stretching across five decades. You have to wonder if this is finally their year.
San Diego’s Struggles And Tampa Bay’s Chance
The Padres, another franchise born in 1969, share that unenviable “never won a World Series” status with the Brewers. They just punched their ticket past the Cubs in the NL Wild Card Series, keeping their own hopes alive. But man, their World Series history is tough to look at: they made it twice and got absolutely steamrolled. In 1984, they ran into the 104-win Detroit Tigers juggernaut. Then in 1998, they faced one of the greatest teams ever in the 114-win Yankees. Unsurprisingly, their World Series record sits at a brutal 1-8. For the Rays, who eliminated the Guardians in the ALCS, this is their massive opportunity. They’ve been knocking on the door for a while, and now they’re one of two teams left that can actually make history by winning it all for the first time.
Another Year, Another Heartbreak For The Guardians
While two teams are destined to break their duck, the Cleveland Guardians just had to watch another chance slip through their fingers. They lost to the Rays in the ALCS, meaning they’ll have to wait until 2027 to try again. It’s a gut punch, especially after they won their third AL Central title in three years this season. When healthy, that team’s got some serious talent, with José Ramírez at third, rookie All-Star Travis Bazzana at second, Steven Kwan and Chase DeLauter in the outfield, and Parker Messick leading the rotation. But 1948, that’s the last time Cleveland celebrated a World Series. The last living player from that team, Eddie Robinson, passed away in 2021. That ’48 team beat the Braves when they were still in Boston, which tells you how long ago it was. They’ve come close so many times since: losing the ’54 World Series, then ’95, ’97, and 2016. They even lost in the ALCS in 1998, 2007, and 2024. They’ve had some truly great teams over the last 30-plus years, but the championship has always eluded them.
So, the stage is set. The Brewers are sitting pretty with their bye, ready for either the Padres or Cubs winner. The Rays have battled their way through the ALCS. For one of them, the agony of waiting will finally be over. For the other, the drought continues. This isn’t just a championship game; it’s a moment of truth that will define a franchise forever. You absolutely can’t miss a single pitch of this.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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