The Brewers struck first in the 2026 World Series , notching a 3–2 win in Game 1 on Friday night. The Rays’ decision-making might have been Milwaukee’s MVP on the night.

The game was played on a knife’s edge against a team that rarely makes mistakes . Tampa Bay made too many of its own and squandered an opportunity to seize an early advantage in the series. The two most glaring errors came on the base paths in back-to-back innings, killing potential rallies with the heart of the order due up.

Victor Mesa Jr. singled to lead off the top of the fifth off Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski . He advanced to second on a Ben Williamson groundout, and was still there when Yandy Díaz stepped to the plate with two down. This was a great spot for the Rays, as Díaz’s .370 batting average with runners in scoring position led all qualified MLB hitters during the regular season. So far in the postseason, his OPS in those situations is 1.229.

Then, with Díaz facing an 0–2 count, Mesa attempted to steal third base.…