MLB WORLD SERIES: RAYS VS BREWERS

October 27, 2026

Jonny DeLuca

Tropicana Field

Tampa Bay Rays

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Rays 4, Brewers 3 (12)

Q. Jonny, can you take us through the swing of emotions from seeing the home run off Ian and then the way you guys start piecing that rally together?

JONNY DELUCA: Yeah, we were in it the whole way. Even after that happened, there's so much belief in this clubhouse. To be able to go in there and have the entire bench and all the guys hype us up and be able to come back like that is obviously a special win and a pretty cool win.

Q. Your at-bat there, what were you trying to do? What were you thinking?

JONNY DELUCA: At first trying to get a ball in the air. So I want the fastball up. Then after that, just protecting, putting the ball in play, trying to barrel something.

Q. What did you like most about the team approach in that inning? Nothing really scorched or in the gap or anything, just seems like piecing it together.

JONNY DELUCA: Yeah, just taking the small victories, being able to put pressure any way. I feel like that's what happens in playoffs, you're able to put pressure on the guys. In that situation, we did that and ended up on top.

Q. Congratulations. Can you just talk about the emotions. I know in your career you've been through these before, maybe not in the World Series, but come from behind where things don't look good. What are you saying to yourself when they're up, you come back, things aren't looking good, three outs away. What's going through your mind?

JONNY DELUCA: I mean, we're in an underdog position already, down 3-0. I feel like today we've just been playing so free. To be able to just go out there -- and, like, there's really nothing to lose. So just go out there and balls to the wall and compete and do anything to win the game.

Q. You know the history. No team's ever done what you're trying to do. Talk about that.

JONNY DELUCA: It's a pretty cool position we're in, and it's a special opportunity that we have. So we're just going to take it one day at a time and just be in the moment. We love the position we're in.

Q. Coming into that at-bat, you were batting oh-fer for the day. To be able to put a ball in play like that, get an RBI, tie the game up, how good of a feeling was that for you to finally have a way to contribute tonight?

JONNY DELUCA: Obviously, it's a huge spot. And to be able to be in that spot, I'm grateful for, and I'm grateful to get those opportunities. That's what the game's about. You know, you're 0 for 4 and going into that last AB, it's what you talk about when you're a kid, it's what you go through in your mind. Just the mental resilience of being able to flush it and move on to the next AB.

Q. How important is it to have short memories, whether it's Game 1, those near misses, and then obviously yesterday's game. But then today just have elite defense that we've seen from the Rays all year long?

JONNY DELUCA: Yeah, like you said, the short memory, it's a tough one just because there's big plays that happen, and there's always going to be mistakes on both sides. So to be able to just move on, flush it, and just compete, that's what really good teams do, and that's what really good players do.

I think we have a group of guys that do that really well and just are in the moment and just move on and flush it.

Q. What was your reaction when you got the ball off the bat? Did you know you had it right away? Just to see the team and the crowd and everything, how exciting was all of it?

JONNY DELUCA: Yeah, it's a huge spot. It's what you dream of as a player to be in that spot and to be able to contribute and help your team. Obviously the energy in the stadium was pretty special. So yeah, just a cool moment.

Q. I just wanted to ask you how do you capitalize in terms of momentum this key win into the confidence of facing Misiorowski tomorrow?

JONNY DELUCA: Yeah, we love the challenge. We're ready for it, and we love the spot we're in, like I said before. So to get this win tonight and have the momentum on our sides right now, we're going to keep it going into tomorrow.