The World Series was extremely competitive heading into Monday night's Game 3. Sure, the Milwaukee Brewers led the series 2-0, but both Games 1 and 2 were decided by just one run. It seemed as if the Tampa Bay Rays were in a great position to bounce back on Monday. They had veteran Freddy Peralta starting against rookie Robert Gasser at home. Instead, the Brewers took control in the 5th inning, and Gasser was dominant on the mound.

It was a close contest up until the 5th inning. Milwaukee led 2-0. Both Gasser and Peralta were pitching well. Peralta struggled early in the 5th, however, which led Rays manager Kevin Cash to turn to his bullpen. The move did not go according to plan. The Brewers ended up scoring a total of eight runs in the inning to take a commanding 10-0 lead.

The Brewers offense will receive no shortage of attention for its performance, but Gasser's stellar outing shouldn't be overlooked. The southpaw faced the minimum through six innings while allowing no runs and only one hit. According to MLB, Gasser has surrendered just one total run in his three postseason starts.

Some fans may not have heard of Gasser before this postseason. He is certainly making a name for himself now, though.

Who is Brewers' Robert Gasser?

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Robert Gasser (54) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning in game three of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Gasser is from El Dorado Hills in California. He played his high school baseball at Oak Ridge High School and his college ball at New Mexico, San Joaquin Delta College and Houston. Following a strong finish to his college career at Houston, the left-hander entered the 2021 MLB Draft and was selected 21st overall by the San Diego Padres.

It did not take long for Gasser to become a highly-regarded prospect. He caught the attention of other teams around the MLB world as well. In 2022, Gasser was included in the Padres' trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for star closer Josh Hader.

Gasser's journey to the big leagues was impacted by injuries. He dealt with elbow trouble and ultimately underwent Tommy John surgery. After working his way back, Gasser was able to have his official rookie season this year.

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Gasser had a total of seven big league starts heading into the 2026 campaign. He ended up making 21 outings (20 starts) in his official rookie year in 2026, turning in a 3.87 ERA. It was a strong overall performance. Gasser has found a new level in October, however.

Through his three starts in the 2026 MLB postseason — which have come against the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers and Rays — Gasser has recorded a jaw-dropping 0.60 ERA. He only has nine strikeouts through 15 innings of work, but keeping runs off the board is what matters and he's done an incredible job of accomplishing that feat.

The Brewers still have work to do. The World Series isn't over. Anything can happen.

With that being said, Milwaukee is in a tremendous position to win its first World Series championship in franchise history, and Robert Gasser has certainly played a significant role in the team's overall success.