The Brewers are two wins from history. The man standing in their way? Their own old ace.
Freddy Peralta pitched 8 years for Milwaukee. Tonight he must beat them to keep Tampa Bay alive.
Game 3 of the 2026 World Series starts tonight, Monday, October 26, at 8 p.m. ET at Tropicana Field. The Milwaukee Brewers lead the Tampa Bay Rays 2-0. Milwaukee won Game 1 by 3-2 and Game 2 by 5-4, both at home.
Now the story gets personal. The Rays will start Freddy Peralta. He spent his first eight big-league seasons with the Brewers. He was their star. Brewers fans still love him. Tonight, he has to break their hearts.
- Series: Brewers lead 2-0 (best of seven).
- When: Monday, Oct. 26, 8 p.m. ET (3 a.m. Tuesday, Cairo time).
- Where: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida. TV: FOX.
- Pitchers: Robert Gasser (Brewers) vs. Freddy Peralta (Rays).
- The twist: Peralta played for Milwaukee from 2018 to 2025.
- The prize: Neither team has ever won the World Series.
How the Brewers got to 2-0
Milwaukee had the best record in baseball this year at 103-59. This is their first World Series in 44 years. They swept the two-time champion Los Angeles Dodgers to get here.
Game 1 was tight. The Brewers won 3-2.
Game 2 looked like a disaster at first. The Rays scored four runs in the very first inning. Liam Hicks hit a 411-foot home run. It was 4-0 before most fans sat down.
Then the Brewers did what they do. They chipped away. A Rays error helped make it 4-3. Sal Frelick hit a home run in the sixth to tie it 4-4. Rookie Cooper Pratt then hit a go-ahead single in the seventh. Reliever Aaron Ashby got the last five outs. The Rays had the tying run on third base in the ninth, but could not bring him home. Final score: Brewers 5, Rays 4.
| Game | Date | Result / Place |
|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Fri, Oct. 23 | Brewers 3, Rays 2 (Milwaukee) |
| Game 2 | Sat, Oct. 24 | Brewers 5, Rays 4 (Milwaukee) |
| Game 3 | Mon, Oct. 26 | Tonight, 8 p.m. ET (Tampa Bay) |
| Game 4 | Tue, Oct. 27 | 8 p.m. ET (Tampa Bay) |
| Game 5* | Wed, Oct. 28 | 8 p.m. ET (Tampa Bay) |
| Game 6* | Fri, Oct. 30 | 8 p.m. ET (Milwaukee) |
| Game 7* | Sat, Oct. 31 | 8 p.m. ET (Milwaukee) |
* Only if needed.
Freddy Peralta: from Milwaukee hero to Milwaukee's biggest problem
Peralta is 30 years old. The Brewers traded for him back in 2015, when he was a teenager in the minor leagues. He grew up with the team.
From 2018 to 2025 he went 70-42 with a 3.59 ERA for Milwaukee. He made two All-Star teams. Fans called him "Fastball Freddy."
Then he left. He started 2026 with the New York Mets, and it did not go well. At the trade deadline, the Rays got him from the Mets. They changed his pitching style. It worked.
The numbers since then are wild. The Rays have won his last nine starts. In those nine starts, his ERA is 0.90. He was named MVP of the American League Championship Series. In these playoffs he is 2-0 with a 1.08 ERA.
Here is the strange part. Last year he was teammates with 17 of the 26 players on the Brewers' World Series roster. They know his pitches. He knows their swings. When Milwaukee fans saw him before Game 1, they cheered for him. Tonight, they want him to lose.
Gasser vs. Peralta: who has the edge?
| Robert Gasser (MIL) | Freddy Peralta (TB) | |
|---|---|---|
| Throws | Left | Right |
| 2026 playoffs | 0-0, 1.00 ERA | 2-0, 1.08 ERA |
| Last outing | 5 scoreless innings vs. Dodgers (NLCS) | ALCS MVP vs. Guardians |
| Fun fact | Nickname: "Bobby Diesel" | Former Brewers All-Star |
Betting markets see Game 3 as close to a coin flip, with the Rays slight favorites at home. Milwaukee's bullpen has been the best part of its run. After Sunday's day off, most of their relievers are rested. Expect Gasser to go four or five innings before the bullpen takes over.
Peralta is red-hot. They are finally at home. Their fans are loud. A win makes it 2-1 and the series is alive again.
They know Peralta better than anyone. Their bullpen is rested. And they keep winning games they should lose.
Why 3-0 would be almost the end
If Milwaukee wins tonight, they lead 3-0. In World Series history, no team has ever come back from 0-3 down. Tampa Bay would need four straight wins.
That is why this is a must-win for the Rays. And it is why Peralta, the Brewers' old friend, is the man Tampa Bay trusts most.
FAQ
What time is World Series Game 3 tonight?
Monday, October 26, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT). That is 3 a.m. on Tuesday in Cairo.
What channel is World Series Game 3 on?
FOX in the United States. It also streams on FOX One.
Who is pitching in Game 3?
Robert Gasser starts for the Brewers. Freddy Peralta starts for the Rays.
Did Freddy Peralta play for the Brewers?
Yes. He pitched for Milwaukee from 2018 to 2025, went 70-42 and made two All-Star teams. He joined the Rays from the Mets at the 2026 trade deadline.
Has any team come back from 3-0 down in the World Series?
No. No team has ever won the World Series after losing the first three games.
