Back
MLB fans insist the World Series is rigged after a controversial call helped the Tampa Bay Rays win in extra innings over the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Rays kept their World Series hopes alive at Tropicana Field with a 4-3 victory in Game 4.
Tampa Bay avoided the sweep and forced the Brewers to wait before potentially claiming their first-ever World Series title in franchise history.
But Game 4 didn’t come without controversy, as Milwaukee’s Cooper Pratt appeared to steal second base in the top of the ninth inning in a 2-2 game.
Pratt was in scoring position thanks to originally being called safe.
However, video replay changed the call as Richie Palacios was determined to have caught the throw from catcher Liam Hicks and tagged Pratt before his leg touched the bag to get the third out.
However, one could argue that the tag wasn’t conclusive.
As a result, plenty of baseball fans took to social media to blast the MLB, claiming that the league was in favor of a Rays win and ensure a Game 5.
“Rigged. He was safe,” wrote one user.
“MLB wants a game 5 so bad. No business that should’ve been overturned,” said another
MLB has new national TV deals for 2026-28 with ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Netflix. Several elements of MLB's national broadcast rights have not changed, including Fox, Warner Bros., and Apple Inc. deals for national coverage.
NBC returned to regular broadcast MLB coverage for the first time in 25 years. And Netflix made yet another significant move into live event coverage.
NBC: Sunday Night Baseball (moving from ESPN), Sunday Leadoff Games, whole Wild Card series, Labor Day primetime games and Opening Day primetime games
Netflix: Opening Night exclusive game, T-Mobile Home Run Derby, MLB at Field of Dreams Game (Beginning 2026), World Baseball Classic in Japan
ESPN: National midweek game package (30 games), secured the rights to sell and distribute MLB.TV into the ESPN app
*If you click on a link below, we will earn affiliate revenue
“Apparently Vegas wants a game 5. #rigged” a third commented.
“The fix is in,” a fourth stated.
The Rays couldn’t capitalize on the call in the bottom of the ninth inning.
But after Pratt redeemed himself with a homer to take a 3-2 lead in the 12th inning, a brutal error followed by four straight hits helped propel the Rays to a victory.
Game 5 will be on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field.