Mar 31, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Tampa Bay Rays catcher Nick Fortes (40) talks with Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Yoendrys Gomez (94) in the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Preview: Rays vs Brewers in Rubber Game of Series

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Apr 1, 2026 11:00 AM ET

The Tampa Bay Rays will be getting ready for their rubber game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday afternoon, with the chance to take the series against a good team.

Following losing their series to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Rays were focused on trying to have a bounce-back performance against a challenging opponent in the Brewers. This is a team that was in the playoffs last year, and while they lost some talent this offseason, they still project to be a contender in the National League Central.

In the first game of the series, Tampa Bay was able to come away with a 3-2 win to set the tone. Unfortunately, in the highly anticipated return of pitcher Shane McClanahan, the Rays were unable to secure a victory on Tuesday.

The left-hander was closing in on being in line for his first win in multiple years, but a tough fifth inning ultimately resulted in him coming up just short of that, and also the Rays blowing their two-run lead. While it wasn't all his fault, the fifth inning proved to be the undoing of the team on Tuesday.

Now, the team will be facing off in a rubber game with their top pitcher on the hill. Here’s how to watch.

Who: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Milwaukee Brewers

When: Wednesday, April 1st, 1:40 EST

Where: American Family Field, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Television: MLB.TV, Rays.TV, Brewers.TV

Waited 972 days for this pic.twitter.com/aBZIJDin7N
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) April 1, 2026

The game on Wednesday is going to be a very entertaining one with a fantastic pitching matchup on paper. Drew Rasmussen will be facing off against Jacob Misiorowski in a game that features two All-Star-caliber pitchers.

Misiorowski is one of the best young hurlers in the game, and the lineup of Tampa Bay will be tested in this matchup. So far, the team has to be pleased with what they have seen from some of their top talent.

Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda are both off to fantastic starts offensively. This was a unit overall that performed very well against the Cardinals. While they may have slowed down a bit against the Brewers, that was to be expected, facing some better pitching.

With the series coming to a close and another series on the road to follow against the Minnesota Twins, the Rays would undoubtedly really like to get this game on Wednesday. It won’t be easy, but having their ace on the mound in the rubber game is exactly where they should want to be, and they’ll have a strong chance.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Rays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: