The Milwaukee Brewers are set to play the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2026 World Series. That means there will be a first-time champion when this series concludes.

Both the Rays and Brewers are two teams that rely on making shrewd trades to build out their roster with a smaller budget. Such trades will now come at the forefront of this World Series.

Looking at the Rays rotation, their top two starters were pitchers that the Brewers traded in the past. Drew Rasmussen and Freddy Peralta could line up to start against Milwaukee in their former home stadium. Rasmussen and Peralta line up for Games 1 and 2 on normal rest.

So one of the top storylines from this World Series will be how two former Brewers fare against their old team. It would be even more intriguing if the two starters get a chance to pitch at American Family Field for the first two games.

Revisiting Brewers Trade of Drew Rasmussen for Willy Adames

The Brewers went for an offensive upside play at shortstop. In May 2021, they traded Rasmussen to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Willy Adames. The trade also saw a swap of right-handed relievers, with Trevor Richards going to Milwaukee and J.P. Feyereisen going to Tampa Bay.

Rasmussen was a sixth-round pick in the 2018 MLB Draft out of Oregon State. But after a 5.01 ERA in 32.1 career innings in Milwaukee, they moved him to upgrade their lineup.

The trade made sense at the time. Rasmussen had yet to become the pitcher he was today, and Adames broke out offensively in 2020 with a 126 OPS+. After he slumped over the first six weeks of 2021, they pulled the trigger on a trade. The Rays targeted a pitcher they used a first-round pick on, but failed to sign in 2017.

As a Brewer, Adames put up a .244/.323/.457 slash line with 107 home runs. In 548 games, he was worth about 14.0 bWAR. Adames walked after the 2024 season, with the Brewers getting a first-round pick after he signed a $182 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. The pick was used to select high school shortstop Brady Ebel.

However, the trade still carries impact into this World Series matchup. Rasmussen signed an extension with the Rays right before his pitching breakout in 2025. The right-hander should finish high in the American League Cy Young balloting in 2026.

Brewers Traded Freddy Peralta Before the 2026 Season

Peralta was a classic Brewers trade, where they sold high on a starter before his walk year. In the deal, they got prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams from the New York Mets.

Sproat had pitched his way in and out of the Brewers rotation this season. Despite hard velocity, the right-hander had a 5.57 ERA in 97 innings. He eventually lost his rotation spot to left-hander Robert Gasser, who projects as the team's Game 3 starter following a great performance in the NLCS.

Williams battled injuries, as he only suited up for 81 games. When he did play, he slashed .233/.340/.384 for Triple-A Nashville with nine home runs and 21 stolen bases. The former Mets first-rounder lacks a defensive home, as Cooper Pratt is set to handle shortstop for a very long time. He projects as potentially an up-the-middle utility player who could split time at short, second, and center field.

The trade hasn't quite worked out for the Brewers in its first year. Sproat is a question mark entering next season, although he'll get a chance to earn a rotation spot in spring. Dustin May is a free agent and likely to hit the market after a tough run in Milwaukee.

Meanwhile, Peralta ended up getting dealt to the Rays at the deadline. After struggling in New York, the former Brewer has looked better than ever before in Tampa Bay. Peralta allowed one run or fewer in each of his nine starts in the postseason. He's throwing harder than ever before, averaging 97.1 MPH in the clinching Game 6. He was named the ALCS MVP after pitching 12 innings of one-run ball.

So while the Rasmussen trade still is a win for Milwaukee, given Adames' best career stretch came with them, the jury is still out on the Peralta deal. For the Brewers, it'll be a chance to show that they made the right moves. But if Rasmussen and Peralta get the better end of their former club, those trades will be discussed all offseason.