MILWAUKEE -- The trade was completed with executives from one team boarding a Southwest Airlines flight and the top executive from another in a hospital bed. So maybe we should have known it would produce an unusual result.
Jake Bauers and Yandy Díaz are set to face each other in the 2026 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays, nearly eight years after being swapped in a complex three-team trade. The December 2018 transaction involving Cleveland, the Seattle Mariners, and the Rays originally centered on veterans Carlos Santana and Edwin Encarnación. Both Bauers and Díaz have since emerged as key offensive stars for their respective World Series clubs.
Bauers arrived in Milwaukee following stints with multiple franchises and earned NLCS MVP honors after hitting 26 home runs in 2026. Díaz flourished in Tampa Bay, claiming the 2023 American League batting title and producing strong performances during the 2026 ALCS to lead the Rays into Game 1 at American Family Field.
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