Brewers Turn to Ace Misiorowski on Four Days’ Rest in Game 5 as They Seek First World Series

The Milwaukee Brewers will get another chance Wednesday night to secure the first World Series title in franchise history, and this time they will do it with their ace on the mound. Right-hander Jacob Misiorowski is set to start Game 5 on four days’ rest, while the Tampa Bay Rays appear headed for a bullpen game after cycling through their regular starters over the previous four nights.

Game 5 is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The game will air on FOX and FOX Deportes and stream on FOX One. MLB said MLB.TV also will carry the series in the United States with authentication. Tampa Bay forced the game with a 4-3, 12-inning win in Game 4 on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

For Milwaukee, the setup is hard to miss: a conventional starter, and not just any starter. Misiorowski started Game 1 and allowed one run in five innings, and now returns with the Brewers holding a 3-1 series lead. During the 2026 regular season, he posted a 1.80 ERA with 252 strikeouts, a 0.80 WHIP and a .157 opponents’ batting average. MLB said he led the majors in all four categories.

Tampa Bay’s pitching situation is far less straightforward. MLB listed the Rays’ Game 5 starter as TBD and described a bullpen game as the likely option after the club used all five of its regular-season rotation arms over the previous four nights. Rays manager Kevin Cash signaled that several relievers could be asked to carry significant innings. “I’m going to guess most guys are going to say they’re capable of an inning or more, given it’s Game 5 of the World Series,” Cash said.

MLB listed Milwaukee’s lineup as Jackson Chourio, LF; Jake Bauers, 1B; Christian Yelich, DH; William Contreras, C; Brice Turang, 2B; Garrett Mitchell, CF; Cooper Pratt, SS; Sal Frelick, RF; and David Hamilton, 3B. MLB’s projected Rays lineup against a right-handed starter was Yandy Díaz, DH; Jonathan Aranda, 1B; Junior Caminero, 3B; Liam Hicks, C; Chandler Simpson, LF; Jonny DeLuca, CF; Victor Mesa Jr., RF; Richie Palacios, 2B; and Taylor Walls, SS.

Milwaukee has never won the World Series; its only previous trip ended with a seven-game loss to St. Louis in 1982. The Brewers are now one win away from changing that, and they will open Game 5 with the clearest pitching advantage they have had in the series. If the offense gives Misiorowski support, it could be enough. Chourio has helped set that tone already: his 10 hits through the first four games were tied with Babe Ruth for the most in the first four games of a World Series, according to MLB.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said his club is treating the clinching opportunity with the right caution. “I think the guys understand it’s going to be hard. It’s going to be hard,” Murphy said. “When you’re achieving something like this, it’s going to have its adversity.”