Derek Jeter on Sunday shared his thoughts on the Tampa Bay Rays' chances of recovering after losing the first two games of the 2026 World Series to the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Rays head home to Tropicana Field trailing 2-0 in the best-of-seven series. They lost the opener 3-2 on Friday before suffering a 5-4 defeat in Game 2 on Saturday, despite taking an early four-run lead. During Game 2, Tampa Bay scored four times in the first inning but could not maintain its advantage. A stalled offense, defensive mistakes and pitching struggles allowed Milwaukee to complete the comeback and take control of the series.
Shortly after the Rays' loss, Jeter urged the Rays to make the most of their home-field advantage in Game 3 on "MLB on Fox" on Sunday. The former New York Yankees captain also recalled his own difficulties playing at Tropicana Field.
"Look, they got to score, score, score, score and score some more. No lead is safe. It's tough to play in that ballpark. Tropicana Field is tough to play in, right? If you're not used to it, there's a reason why they play so well at home. I didn't like going there. I didn't see the ball well. Didn't hit the ball well there. Takes some adjusting. So, that's their home field advantage," Jeter said.
He added:
"So, for them, they just got to keep the foot on the gas. They got to score and continue to score. Look, when they scored four runs in the first inning, I bet a lot of people around baseball were saying, 'Oh, this game's over. 1-1. We're going back to Tampa.' Milwaukee does not stop. So, you got to put some runs on the board, and no lead is safe."
Game 3 of the World Series is scheduled for Monday at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Derek Jeter discussed the matchup between Tampa Bay and Milwaukee on "MLB on Fox" on Friday. He praised both teams for their play throughout the season and expressed excitement about the series.
"I always used to say the best teams make it to the postseason, the hottest team wins the World Series. But in this particular World Series, we're watching the two best teams in baseball. All year long, they've been the two best teams. If you're an old school baseball purist, you're going to absolutely love this series, and both teams mirror each other, so I'm excited to watch," Jeter said.
With the Rays down 2-0, they need four wins in five games to claim the championship.
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