Hold up, baseball world! Game 1 of the Fall Classic between the Tampa Bay Rays and Milwaukee Brewers isn’t even underway, but MLB just dropped a bombshell: Jake Woodford is officially a 2026 World Series champion.
How One Journeyman Locked Up a Title Before Game 1
You might be thinking, “Wait, what?” And yeah, it’s wild. The league revealed that Woodford, a right-handed relief pitcher, is guaranteed a ring no matter who wins the series because he spent time with both clubs this season. Can you even imagine? This dude started the 2026 season pitching for Milwaukee, making 16 appearances out of their bullpen before they released him in July. He had a brief pit stop with the Chicago Cubs, then signed a minor-league deal with the Rays in August.
The Whirlwind Season That Ends With a Ring
From there, it was a grind through the Rays’ Triple-A system. But he got the call up! On September 24, Woodford made his lone regular-season appearance for Tampa. And get this: after that single game, he was designated for assignment, meaning he’s not even on the Rays’ 26-man roster for the World Series. He won’t throw a single pitch in the Fall Classic.
A 5.36 ERA and a World Series Champion
This isn’t some rookie phenom we’re talking about. Woodford’s a 29-year-old journeyman reliever, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals way back in 2015, making his MLB debut with them in 2020. He’s been through eight different organizations, pitched in 130 MLB games for seven different teams, and holds a career 5.36 ERA over 283.2 innings. For a guy who’s bounced around the league like that, a guaranteed World Series ring is more than a “nice consolation prize.” It’s an unbelievable capstone to a season, maybe even a career, even if he’s watching from the sidelines. What a story, seriously. No matter who takes home the trophy, Jake Woodford is already a champion.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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