Pitcher Jake Woodford Becomes Guaranteed World Series Champion After Playing for Both Finalists

Relief pitcher Jake Woodford has a unique claim to the 2026 World Series title: he will be a champion no matter who wins, as he played for both the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays this season.

The Rays traded Woodford to the Brewers before the season began in March. He appeared in 16 games for Milwaukee, posting a 1-0 record with a 6.94 ERA across 23 1/3 innings pitched. On June 5, Woodford was designated for assignment by the Brewers and subsequently released. A few days later, he signed with the Chicago Cubs.

Woodford played in only one game for the Cubs, allowing three runs in two innings before being designated for assignment and released again on July 16. However, the Cubs re-signed him to a minor league contract and later selected his contract back to the major league roster on July 29. He pitched one scoreless inning on Aug. 3 but was again designated for assignment and released on Aug. 10.

The Rays then reacquired Woodford, signing him to a minor league contract on Aug. 11. After spending over a month in the minors, his contract was selected, adding him back to their major league roster on Sept. 24. He pitched against the New York Yankees, giving up three earned runs in 1 1/3 innings, before being designated for assignment and released for the final time on Sept. 29.

Woodford's season was marked by transactions between three different teams. The World Series is scheduled to begin on Friday, with the Brewers hosting the Rays. While Woodford is guaranteed to be part of a championship team, the distribution of World Series rings is ultimately at the discretion of team ownership and management.