The World Series predictions Jeter Ortiz Rodriguez delivered on Oct. 24, 2026, split along a clear line: two former stars picked the Milwaukee Brewers to win it all, one picked the Tampa Bay Rays. All three agreed on the distance — seven games.
A matchup of league leaders
The Rays and Brewers reached the World Series after finishing the regular season with the best records in their respective leagues. Neither franchise has ever won a World Series, which puts the Commissioner’s Trophy on the line for a first-time champion no matter which side prevails.
The FOX Sports MLB desk expects a close series, and the three analysts’ predictions reinforced that view. Two votes for Milwaukee in seven games, one for Tampa Bay in seven games — a split that leaves little room for a short series.
Jeter: home field and Milwaukee's bullpen
Derek Jeter sided with the Brewers in seven games. His reasoning centered on home-field advantage and the strength of Milwaukee’s bullpen, two factors that tend to matter most in a series that goes the distance.
Jeter’s pick put him in agreement with one of his former peers on the broadcast. It also aligned with the idea that the Brewers’ late-inning relief could be the difference in a tight, lengthy series.
Ortiz: the American League and Tampa Bay's consistency
David Ortiz went the other way, choosing the Rays in seven games. He pointed to the difficulty of the American League and to Tampa Bay’s sustained success — a team that had been leading consistently rather than relying on a late surge.
Ortiz’s rationale framed the Rays’ path as the harder one, and therefore the more impressive. In his view, the American League’s competitiveness made Tampa Bay’s regular-season record a stronger indicator of what the team could do in the World Series.
Rodriguez: quality, defense and a walk-off finish
Alex Rodriguez also picked the Brewers in seven games, but his reasoning covered more ground. He cited the overall quality of the two teams, their defenses and home-field advantage. He also specified a walk-off finish, adding a dramatic detail to his prediction.
Rodriguez’s pick made it two for Milwaukee among the three analysts. His emphasis on defense and home field echoed Jeter’s focus on the same advantages, though Rodriguez added the walk-off scenario as his own touch.
The common thread: seven games
Whatever the split on the winner, the three predictions shared a single expectation: a series that goes the full seven games. That consensus fits the broader context of a matchup between the two best regular-season teams in their leagues, and a FOX Sports MLB desk that expects a close series.
The picks also reflect the stakes. With neither the Rays nor the Brewers having won a World Series, the 2026 matchup guarantees a first-time champion. Jeter and Rodriguez see Milwaukee breaking through; Ortiz sees Tampa Bay doing it. All three see it taking seven games to decide.
[…] Jeter and Rodriguez Back Brewers, Ortiz Takes Rays — All Three See Seven Games […]