After a 162-game regular season, the race for the World Series is heating up. With surprising eliminations, dramatic comebacks and championship dreams on the line, the 2026 Major League baseball postseason has delivered plenty of excitement.
What began with 12 teams competing for a championship has now narrowed to four: the Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers, Tampa Bay Rays and Cleveland Guardians.
The Cleveland Guardians took a difficult route to the American League Championship Series. After falling behind 2-0 against the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland battled back with three consecutive victories completing their comeback with a 2-0 win Oct. 10.
The Guardians carried that momentum into the American League Championship Series, defeating the Rays 7-3 in Game 1. Tampa Bay answered with a 3-1 victory in Game 2, tying the best-of-seven series at one game apiece.
Meanwhile, the National League features a matchup with history on the line.
The Los Angeles Dodgers entered the postseason chasing their third consecutive World Series championship, a feat last accomplished by the New York Yankees 1998 to 2000.
Standing in their way are the Milwaukee Brewers, who are chasing their first World Series championship in franchise history. After defeating the San Diego Padres in the Division Series, Milwaukee advanced to face Los Angeles in the National League Championship Series.
The Brewers opened the series with a 2-1 victory over the Dodgers on Oct. 11 and have not looked back. Milwaukee followed with a 7-4 victory in Game 2 before defeating Los Angeles 6-2 on Oct. 14. The three consecutive victories have given the Brewers a commanding 3-0 series lead, putting them just one win away from their first World Series appearance since 1982.
For the Dodgers, the pressure is mounting. Los Angeles must win four consecutive games to keep its hopes of a third straight championship alive.
As the championship series continues, the stakes are only getting higher. The Rays and Guardians remain locked in a close American League battle, while the Brewers are closing in on the National League title.
The winners of each series will advance to the World Series, scheduled to begin Oct. 23.
Every inning brings another opportunity for a game-changing moment. A single home run, strikeout or defensive play could determine which teams continue their seasons and which head home.
The road to the World Series is getting shorter, the stakes are getting higher and the race for baseball’s biggest prize is far from over.