The Tampa Bay Rays have played two competitive World Series games against the Milwaukee Brewers. Unfortunately, they’ve lost both, and now the pressure is squarely on Kevin Cash’s club.

Tampa Bay returns to Tropicana Field on Monday night for Game 3 of the 2026 World Series, trailing Milwaukee 2-0 after consecutive one-run losses. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

The Rays will turn to right-hander Freddy Peralta, hoping their hottest pitcher can prevent the Brewers from moving within one victory of their first championship.

Peralta has been nearly untouchable over the past two months.

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Former MLB and NPB league standout, ex-Rays broadcaster and host of The ‘Big O’ Show at Fan Stream Sports – Tampa Bay, Orestes Destrade, gave some insight on what needs to happen for the Rays to beat the Brewers on Monday night.

“Freddy has done something we haven’t seen since Bob Gibson in 1968: his team has won 10 straight starts, and he’s allowed no more than one earned run in any of them,” Destrade told us. “Tonight, he needs to give the Rays six strong innings, allow fewer than two runs, and hand it over to the bullpen.

“The Rays need to play error-free baseball and deliver with runners in scoring position — they’re 3-for-20 so far. Cut out the mental mistakes and take advantage of home field, where they’ve won more games than any other MLB team.”

Since Aug. 26, Peralta, a former Brewers standout is 7-0 with a remarkable 0.89 ERA across 10 appearances. He’s been particularly effective at Tropicana Field, posting a 1.45 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 37⅓ innings over seven home starts since joining Tampa Bay.

Now he gets an opportunity to face the organization where he spent eight seasons.

Milwaukee counters with left-hander Robert Gasser, who has allowed just one run in nine innings across his two postseason starts.

But starting pitching isn’t Tampa Bay’s only concern.

The Rays lost Game 1 by a 3-2 score before blowing a four-run advantage in Saturday’s 5-4 Game 2 defeat. Both losses featured missed opportunities, defensive mistakes and costly decisions on the bases.

Junior Caminero acknowledged the problem after the second defeat.

“Against Milwaukee, if you give up outs, they’re gonna do that, they’re gonna use that against you,” Caminero said.

The message is straightforward: Tampa Bay can’t afford to give away opportunities against a team playing this efficiently.

Milwaukee’s bullpen has been another major obstacle. Brewers relievers entered Game 3 with a 1.24 postseason ERA, while Aaron Ashby has worked 15⅔ scoreless innings during the playoffs.

That makes early offense particularly important.

Yandy Díaz has struggled to establish himself atop Tampa Bay’s lineup, and the Rays need production from Caminero, Chandler Simpson and their supporting cast before Milwaukee reaches its late-inning relief weapons.

Cash has also adjusted his Game 3 lineup against Gasser, inserting Ryan Vilade at first base and Nick Fortes behind the plate while Jonathan Aranda and Liam Hicks begin on the bench.

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The Brewers, meanwhile, will continue relying on Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich and William Contreras to create pressure against Peralta.

Tampa Bay finished the regular season with 55 home victories, providing reason to believe the change of venue could make a difference.

Still, home-field advantage means little without execution.

The Rays don’t need to win four games Monday night. They need one.

And with Peralta on the mound against his former team, they have an opportunity to turn a potentially short World Series into a competitive one.