League: MLB Sport: Baseball Country: United States Category: Breaking News

Tampa Bay Rays advance to World Series after smart roster moves

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 20, 2026, 11:01 PM

Last updated Oct 20, 2026

Tampa Bay Rays advance to World Series after smart roster moves

Summary

The Tampa Bay Rays are four wins away from their first World Series title, following their AL Championship Series victory. Their roster heavily features players acquired through trades and low-cost signings, with only three original draftees making the 26-man roster. President of baseball operations Erik Neander and manager Kevin Cash have played pivotal roles in building the team. The Rays face the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the World Series on Friday night.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•The Rays will play the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 1 of the World Series.
•Only three players on the Rays' roster were drafted by the team.
•Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz were among key players acquired via trades.
•The Rays opened the season with a payroll of $90.5 million, ranking 26th in MLB.
•Manager Kevin Cash has embraced analytics and strong player communication.

Latest Updates

11:01 PMYahoo Sports — AL champion Rays were mainly built by wise trades and low-cost signings

What they're saying

"
The Tampa Bay Rays were built into American League champions through savvy trades, budget-friendly signings and an organizational strength in identifying, developing and maximizing talent.They’re four wins from the franchise’s first World Series title thanks to smart decisions by president of baseball operations Erik Neander, manager Kevin Cash and their scouting and coaching staffs.
— Yahoo Sportsby ROB MAADDI

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