Brewers-Rays World Series Game 5 Matchup By The Numbers

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Following an eight-game winning streak, the Milwaukee Brewers lost for the first time since the NL Division Series and just the second time this postseason as they attempted to win the first World Series championship in franchise history.

Now, the Brewers will look to bounce back from a 4-3 loss in 12 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays and have their best starting pitcher headed to the mound: ace right-hander Jacob Misiorowski. The Miz will make his first road start and fourth of this postseason in Game 5 of the World Series as the Brewers look to close out the Rays on Wednesday (7 p.m. CT, Fox). The Rays are just the 11th team (44 attempts) in any best-of-seven postseason series to force a Game 5 after being down 3-0 with none in the World Series getting to a Game 6.

In Game 1 of the World Series, Misirowski, the leader in the clubhouse for this year's NL Cy Young Award, went five innings vs. the Rays, allowing a run on four hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Misiorowski has made his last two starts with extra rest (seven and 11 days), yet will be making this one on a typical four days of rest. His three strikeouts in Game 1 were the fewest this season. He generated just seven whiffs during his 78 pitches as he struggled with his location, particularly against right-handed batters. Velocity didn't seem to be an issue as Misiorowski's first pitch was a World Series-record 103.5 mph and his final pitch was 103 mph.

As for the Brewers' bullpen, this is where the blowout in Game 3 comes back and pays dividends for the Crew. The only pitchers who would seemingly be unavailable are right-handers Dustin May and Antonio Senzatela. May threw 39 pitches in his start Tuesday and Senzatela has pitched in each of the last two games and tossed 44 pitches, losing steam in Game 4. Left-hander Aaron Ashby, who has an MLB postseason-record 19 scoreless innings this year, threw 31 pitches in Game 4 and can probably go an inning at most in Game 5. Otherwise, all of the other relievers are good to go for at least one inning.

Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda went 3-for-3 with a walk in Game 1, getting a line-drive single in his first at-bat and a walk in his second trip vs. Misiorowski. The only run scored on a weak grounder to first base by Liam Hicks.

Jacob Misiorowski vs. Tampa Bay Rays: Current Batters Table
Rk	Player	B	PA	AB	H	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	HBP
1	Jonathan Aranda	L	3	3	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000	0
2	Junior Caminero	R	3	3	0	0	0	0	2	.000	.000	.000	.000	0
3	Yandy Díaz	R	3	3	1	1	2	0	1	.333	.333	1.333	1.667	0
4	Nick Fortes	R	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	.333	.333	.333	.667	0
5	Cedric Mullins	L	3	3	0	0	0	0	3	.000	.000	.000	.000	0
6	Chandler Simpson	L	3	2	1	0	0	1	0	.500	.667	.500	1.167	0
7	Ben Williamson	R	3	3	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000	0
8	Liam Hicks	L	2	2	1	0	1	0	0	.500	.500	.500	1.000	0
9	Jorge Mateo	R	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	.500	.500	.500	1.000	0
10	Richie Palacios	L	2	0	0	0	0	1	0		1.000			1

Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 10/28/2026.

With Game 1 starter Nick Martinez pitching in relief in Game 4, the Rays are going with ace right-hander Drew Rasmussen in order to stave off elimination for a second day in a row. Rasmussen, who will be pitching on three days' rest, has had Tommy John surgery three times and manager Kevin Cash expressed caution when asked about Rasmussen's availability for Game 5. But the former Brewers prospect pronounced himself ready, although it is likely to be a shorter start. This will be his fewest days of rest this season.

Of course, Rasmussen, an AL Cy Young Award candidate, had a rather abbreviated start in Game 2 of the World Series. Staked to a 4-0 lead before he threw a pitch, Rasmussen lasted just 3⅔ innings as the Brewers got to him for three runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

William Contreras had a pair of hits against Rasmussen in Game 1, including driving in one in a two-run bottom of the first.

The Rays' pitching situation is more dire than the Brewers after the bullpen had to cover 5⅓ innings in Game 3 and eight innings in Game 4. Martinez, typically a starter, and right-handed closer Bryan Baker each pitched two innings. Martinez, a former reliever, might be able to squeeze out another inning, while Baker didn't go two innings at all this year, maxing out at 1⅔ innings. He was efficient with 21 pitches (14 strikes), so perhaps can get a few batters out of him if he is available. You could even see Game 3 starter, former Brewer Freddy Peralta, for an inning as this would typically be his bullpen day. Regardless, Cash has his work cut out for him to piece together this pitching plan.

The Brewers' offense has been performing fairly well, led by Jackson Chourio (10-for-20), Contreras (7-for-17) and rookie Cooper Pratt (6-for-16), who hit a go-ahead homer in the 12th inning of Game 4.

Drew Rasmussen vs. Milwaukee Brewers: Current Batters Table
Rk	Player	B	PA	AB	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS
1	Jake Bauers	L	9	8	3	0	0	0	1	3	.375	.444	.375	.819
2	William Contreras	R	6	5	2	0	1	1	1	0	.400	.500	1.000	1.500
3	Sal Frelick	L	5	5	0	0	0	0	0	2	.000	.000	.000	.000
4	Brice Turang	L	5	4	1	0	1	2	1	0	.250	.400	1.000	1.400
5	Joey Ortiz	R	4	4	1	0	0	0	0	1	.250	.250	.250	.500
6	Gary Sánchez	R	4	4	1	1	0	1	0	0	.250	.250	.500	.750
7	Christian Yelich	L	4	4	1	0	1	1	0	2	.250	.250	1.000	1.250
8	Jackson Chourio	R	3	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000	.000	.000	.000
9	David Hamilton	L	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000
10	Garrett Mitchell	L	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	1	.500	.500	.500	1.000
11	Bo Naylor	L	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000	.000	.000	.000

Provided by Stathead: Found with Stathead. See Full Results.
Generated 10/28/2026.

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Steve Drumwright grew up in Wisconsin and was forced out of youth baseball when he failed to make enough contact to play the sport he loves. He did make one memorable pitching appearance, summoned from right field in a blowout. Steve went on to a successful journalism career, beginning as a part-time high school sportswriter in small-town Wisconsin to becoming the No. 2 person in the newsroom in San Francisco. Steve enjoys telling the stories of other people and how sports is a terrific vehicle for telling those stories. He now lives in Southern California. Follow him on Bluesky.