Brewers Host Rays In Game 3 As Series Moves To Florida
Milwaukee leads the 2026 World Series 2-0 after winning both games in its home state, while Tampa Bay turns to a former Brewer for its starting pitcher.
By Kwame Montgomery ·
The Milwaukee Brewers travel to St. Petersburg, Florida, on Monday night to face the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 3 of the 2026 World Series. The Brewers currently hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series after taking the first two contests in Milwaukee. The series shifts to Tropicana Field for this matchup, with first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
Milwaukee secured a decisive advantage in the first two games, including a 5-4 comeback victory on Saturday. That win capped a successful home stand for the Brewers. Tampa Bay enters Monday's game with a 1-10 record against Milwaukee over the last eleven meetings, a trend the betting markets have noted. The Rays are listed as -117 favorites on the money line, meaning a bettor must risk $118 to win $100. Milwaukee sits at +102 on the same market.
Left-hander Robert Gasser starts for the Brewers in Game 3. He enters the contest with a 5-5 record and a 3.87 earned run average this season. Tampa Bay counters with right-hander Freddy Peralta, who is 10-11 with a 4.42 earned run average. Peralta spent parts of previous seasons with the Brewers before signing with Tampa Bay. This marks his first start against his former team in the Fall Classic.
The total runs line for the game is set at 7. SportsLine, which runs a computer model to analyze MLB games, simulated the matchup 10,000 times. The model projected 8.5 combined runs for the contest. According to the simulation, the over on the total hit in 58% of scenarios. The model also identified specific players likely to drive the offense.
For the Brewers, the model projects Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and Christian Yelich will each record at least 1.3 total bases. On the Rays side, the model anticipates Yandy Diaz, Junior Caminero, Victor Mesa Jr., Jonathan Aranda, and Cedric Mullins will each accumulate at least 1.2 total bases. The over has hit in three of the last four head-to-head meetings between these teams. It has also gone over in four of Milwaukee's last five games.
The betting landscape reflects the Rays' slight edge despite the series deficit. The over is 7-5-1 in Tampa Bay games when the line is set at 7.0 or lower. The over has also hit in five of Peralta's last ten starts for the Rays. The model's analysis suggests the offense will overcome the pitching duels in this game, a trend consistent with the high-scoring nature of the previous two series contests.
Game 3 marks the first time the series is played on the Rays' home turf. Milwaukee has won both home games in the series so far. The outcome of Monday's contest will determine if the Brewers extend their lead to 3-0. Tampa Bay must win to avoid falling into a hole from which no team in modern World Series history has recovered.
Source: CBS Sports
