The 2026 World Series is set to begin on Friday as the Milwaukee Brewers will play the Tampa Bay Rays. It goes without saying, but both ball clubs obviously want to win the Fall Classic. However, this year's World Series means even more for Brewers stars Christian Yelich and Jacob Misiorowski.
There are plenty of stars on both teams. Everybody wants to become a World Series champion. So, why is this specific Fall Classic so important for Yelich and The Miz?
Christian Yelich's Brewers legacy
Yelich is 34 years old. He is under contract through 2028 and has a mutual option for 2029. In all likelihood, the Brewers slugger is not going to leave the game for a while. When Yelich does retire, though, he would certainly rather be remembered as the guy who led Milwaukee to its first championship than the former star who fell just short of a World Series victory.
Yelich has already enjoyed a stellar big league career. He's a three-time All-Star who also won an MVP back in 2018. The outfielder has also won a Gold Glove and earned three Silver Slugger awards.
After beginning his career with the Miami Marlins, Yelich was traded to the Brewers ahead of the 2018 season. He immediately led Milwaukee to the postseason while earning his first and only MVP. The 34-year-old has played a crucial role in helping the Brewers emerge as a consistent postseason contender over the years.
They still have yet to clinch that elusive first ever championship. The Brewers last appeared in a Fall Classic in 1982, and they have never won the World Series.
Yelich's role isn't what it once was. In the National League Championship Series, he did not start games against left-handed pitching. Nevertheless, he is still a respected veteran who is more than capable of making an impact while on the field. After all, he was given the captain title by the Brewers before the postseason for a reason.
Could Milwaukee return to the World Series within the next few years before Yelich retires? Sure, but it won't be easy. As good as they have been over the past decade, Milwaukee hasn't reached the Fall Classic since 1982 as mentioned.
Now is the time for Yelich to win his legacy-defining championship.
Jacob Misiorowski can go from star to one of the faces of the game
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The Miz is only 24 years old. He has no shortage of time to define his legacy. MLB needs more true superstars who are known by even casual fans, however. This is Misiorowski's time to reach that status.
The only players who are realistically in that company at the moment are Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. You can make arguments for others, but casual or non-baseball fans may not be able to name many other stars aside from those guys.
People who couldn't care less about baseball are going to be intrigued when you tell them there's a guy on the Brewers who can throw a fastball that reaches 105 MPH, however. If The Miz can go out and pitch like a Cy Young winner — which he did throughout the regular season — he will cement himself as one of the next faces of baseball.
Winning the World Series will lead to a media tour. Fans will tune in to watch his interviews on late night shows. Everyone is going to know the name Jacob Misiorowski if Milwaukee wins the 2026 Fall Classic.