By Sal Greco | The Sal Greco Show
October 31, 2026
The 2026 Major League Baseball season is officially in the books, and what an ending it delivered. The Milwaukee Brewers are World Series champions — and let’s be clear, this was no fluke. They were the best team in baseball from the regular season right through October, and they earned every bit of this championship.
Milwaukee finished 103–59, the best record in the majors, then went 11–2 in the postseason. The Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in five games, clinching their first World Series title in franchise history with a 4–1 victory in Game 5. For a city that waited decades to celebrate this moment, congratulations are in order. This is what a complete baseball team looks like.
The Hated Dodgers Are Dethroned
And perhaps the most satisfying part for baseball fans tired of the Los Angeles Dodgers dominating the headlines? Milwaukee dethroned the two-time defending champions on the way to the title.
The Dodgers won 100 regular-season games. They had the star power, the expectations and the reputation. None of it mattered when they ran into the Brewers in the National League Championship Series. Milwaukee swept Los Angeles in four straight games. Not a close seven-game escape. A sweep.
The Brewers followed that statement by beating Tampa Bay for the championship. Christian Yelich, Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, Jacob Misiorowski and the entire Milwaukee roster should be applauded. They didn’t just beat baseball’s glamour team; they finished the job against the American League champions.
For once, the final story of the season wasn’t about the Dodgers. It was about Milwaukee — and that is refreshing.
The Marlins Came Close Enough to Dream, but Not Close Enough to Celebrate
Back in May, I wrote about the excitement surrounding the Miami Marlins and the encouraging signs developing in South Florida. There was a legitimate reason for optimism. Young players were contributing, the pitching had potential, and the Fighting Fish looked like a club beginning to establish an identity.
That optimism wasn’t misplaced. Miami went an impressive 20–6 in June and, for a stretch, looked like a genuine contender for a National League Wild Card spot. The Marlins also won a franchise-record 47 home games at loanDepot park. Max Meyer, Otto Lopez and other young contributors gave fans something to believe in, while Sandy Alcantara demonstrated why his veteran presence remains so important.
But here is the reality: the Marlins finished 80–82, two games below .500 and eight games out of the final Wild Card position. A brutal 12-game losing streak in July did serious damage, and a 33–48 road record revealed a team that still has work to do.
Was it a good season compared with many of the difficult years South Florida baseball fans have endured? There were certainly good moments and meaningful signs of progress. Was it good enough? No. Almost making a playoff run isn’t the same as playing October baseball.
The front office needs to build on this foundation, improve consistency and turn promise into actual postseason appearances. The Marlins have given their fans a reason to watch again. Now they must give them a reason to celebrate.
The Mets: A Huge Disappointment, With One Outstanding Rookie
If Miami fell short after showing promise, the New York Mets were one of the season’s biggest disappointments.
The Mets finished 74–88, in last place in the National League East. Expectations were much higher. The organization dismissed manager Carlos Mendoza in June, replacing him with Andy Green, who later received a three-year contract to lead the club.
But firing a manager doesn’t erase an entire season of underachievement. Management, the roster and the front office all have to answer for what went wrong.
There was, however, one bright spot that absolutely deserves recognition: rookie outfielder Carson Benge.
Benge put together an outstanding first season, batting .282 with 168 hits, 20 home runs and 22 stolen bases. He broke the Mets’ single-season rookie hits record previously held by Pete Alonso. In a year when so much went wrong in Queens, Benge showed that the organization still has young talent worth getting excited about.
Mets fans deserve more than another offseason of promises. They deserve a team that plays to its potential. Benge looks like part of the answer, but one excellent rookie season cannot hide a 74–88 record.
A World Series That Proved Money Doesn’t Always Win — and a Lockout We Must Avoid
There was something particularly satisfying about the two clubs that reached the World Series. Milwaukee and Tampa Bay were not among baseball’s highest-payroll teams. Based on MLB Labor Relations Department payroll figures entering the postseason, the Brewers ranked 19th and the Rays 25th among the 30 teams.
Think about that. With enormous sums being spent by the sport’s wealthiest franchises, two lower-payroll organizations made it all the way to the Fall Classic.
The Brewers beat the mighty Dodgers and won the championship; the Rays won the American League pennant.
That is a terrific ending for baseball, and a reminder that player development, smart decisions, chemistry and execution still matter.
This comes at a critical moment for Major League Baseball. The current collective bargaining agreement expires December 1, 2026, and the possibility of another owners’ lockout looms over the offseason.
There will be difficult arguments about payroll disparities, competitive balance and the economics of the game. Those issues are real, and the success of the Brewers and Rays does not automatically settle them.
But this World Series should remind both owners and players what is worth protecting.
Fans want competitive baseball on the field — not another labor dispute that puts the next season in jeopardy. Hopefully, both sides can reach a fair agreement before the deadline and avoid another shutdown.
Congratulations again to the Milwaukee Brewers: the best team in baseball and the rightful 2026 World Series champions.
The hated Dodgers have been dethroned. The Marlins have a foundation to build on. The Mets have serious questions to answer, even with Carson Benge providing hope for the future.
And as we head into the offseason, here’s hoping the biggest story of 2027 will be baseball — not a lockout.