MLB WORLD SERIES: RAYS VS BREWERS

October 28, 2026

Chandler Simpson

Tropicana Field

Tampa Bay Rays

Pregame 5 Press Conference

Q. How much have you enjoyed this World Series experience, and what have you enjoyed the most?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: It's been a great, unbelievable experience. Definitely a blessed opportunity to be a part of. Probably just the environment, the atmospheres that each game has had, being in Milwaukee for the first two and then being over here.

The crowd's been amazing. The energy, the atmosphere has all been electric.

Q. We just found out a short while ago that Drew's going on three days' rest. What does it mean to you and the rest of the clubhouse that he's willing to take the ball on three days in an elimination game for this team?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: It means a lot. It means a lot, especially everything that he's gone through injury-wise with his arm and things like that. So to put himself out there on short rest, it means a lot to us. We have to do our part onto him and play some good defense and score some runs behind him.

Q. Kind of piggy-backing off of that, Kevin kind of said last night everyone's hands went up for the pitching staff to get the ball today. Last night Ben Williamson, he already had a helmet and a bat ready to go in the bottom of the 12th. Is that kind of the mentality of this team right now that everybody just not only wants to help, but wants to be a part of this?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: For sure. I feel like that's the motto for us all year especially on the offensive side. When you're, quote/unquote, not starting, you've got to be ready to go from the first inning to the ninth.

Then the mentality of the pitcher is ready to go whenever on short rest, whether a starter or reliever at any point, it just speaks to the character and the mentality of the team.

Q. Do you think your defense is appreciated enough, or how much pride do you have on your defense? You've prevent a lot of runs by great catch or great runs to close.

CHANDLER SIMPSON: Just take a lot of pride in it. I knew I had to make strides in that department coming into this year. The fact that the hard work is paying off and I'm seeing it -- still a ways to go, but the fact that it has made jumps just working with Corey throughout the year and putting in the work throughout the course of the year, I'm definitely glad that is paying off.

Q. Obviously speed is a big part of your game and the team's game and definitely Milwaukee's also. How much do you like to see so much activity on the bases in this World Series? Do you think that could, I don't know, inspire other teams to maybe run a little bit more?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: I love it. I love it from both teams, the fact that speed and the short ball, short game, getting on base, getting guys over, getting guys in, playing good defense, good pitching, it's all playing a part. I feel like there's only been maybe two or three home runs -- I think two home runs this World Series.

The fact that we're overtaking the game with a different aspect of the game that's aside from the norm of what's been the norm for the last some-odd years, I'm glad to see it.

Q. After what happened here last night, talk about the character and resiliency of your club.

CHANDLER SIMPSON: Sure. In the later innings of the game, not been able to get anything going or gaining momentum. But in the 12th inning when Pratt hit the homer, it was definitely our back was against the wall when we went into the dugout. It was either score some runs or go home, and that was the mentality.

So we were just doing everything we can to get on base. The fact I was able to get the leadoff guy on, we saw an opening, and I'm glad we took full advantage of it, took the opportunity, and was able to pass the baton back to each other and band together and ultimately win a game.

Q. You've had a pretty good view of the way Jonny DeLuca has been playing both defensively and offensively. What are you seeing from him?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: He's just going after everything. He's going to get it. He's really taking charge out there in center field, and it makes the left fielder's and right fielder's job easier when you know your center fielder is going to get every ball.

He's been great out there. He's been laying it all on the line, putting his body on the line, and at the plate he's doing the best he can to get his pitches and to get on base.

Q. Is there anything you take out of facing Misiorowski for the first time that might help tonight?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: Yeah, just being ready for his first pitch on the fastball, just staying on that. I felt like last time we had some good ABs against him, just maybe wasn't able to get as much stuff going as we wanted to.

Just making sure we stick to our approach. Yeah, just trying to stick with our approach and stay who we are.

Q. Just looking back at last night, how did you feel physically and mentally by the end of it? 12 innings, sacrificing your body out there. Probably got to be a thrill once you come off the field mentally, right?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: Yeah, the adrenaline was carrying so much. Being that it's a lot of us first playoffs, it was the biggest game of our career. The adrenaline was carrying us so much, I didn't even know what time it was. We were just playing at that point, and we were just trying to get a W. So it was cool.

Q. Chandler, you walked us through this a little bit when you were on defense. Can you take me through your prep work, what you're doing with the coach. Obviously you had that crazy play against the wall. What is that like, just going out there with reckless abandon hoping to make the play?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: Just doing early work, hand drills, things like that, small stuff. Just working on the mechanics and fundamentals of the game, making sure my technique and footwork is good and make sure I'm shagging almost at game speed, implicate the balls that I can get out of the game throughout the game. Just glad it's paying dividends.

Q. Tonight's the final game at The Trop this season. What has it been like to play here this year? Just how special is this place?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: It's been amazing. Just after what the whole -- what the stadium has been through the last year or so, what the city has been through, the fact that there wasn't a stadium last year, and the fact that we were able to come in here this year and make a statement and defy a lot of odds, have a lot of success, achieve a lot of things, it was definitely a great thing for all of us to band together.

I know it's not the most glamorous place to play in, but we made it our home, and we took a lot of pride in that this year.

Q. Watching you all year, noticed it even more in postseason, but really all throughout the season, in big at-bats especially -- and I saw it last night for your at-bat in the 12th inning -- you step out of the box, you close your eyes, you breathe in, and you slowly breathe out. I'm curious where you learned that technique. Is it something you've always been able to do? Is it something you've learned? Who might have taught you that?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: I feel like that's something I came across in college or so, just maybe a couple of years ago, the importance of breathing throughout the game and how much focus -- how much you can be present and just staying in the moment as best you can. As long as you control your breath, then anything is possible.

Big AB, non-big AB -- I feel like every AB is big -- but every pitch I try to step out, take a breath, and then try to lock in on what I'm trying to do.

Q. You forced a Game 5. No team in this position down 0-3 has forced a Game 6. How much do you guys embrace the challenge and the opportunity to potentially make that kind of history tonight?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: We definitely embrace the challenge. We've been embracing the challenges all year, I feels like, so what's one more especially when everything is on the table and all hands are on deck.

Definitely blessed to get that game yesterday to force a Game 5 first. And then we've just got to go out there and continue to play our game, carry the momentum from earlier today, I guess, into tonight and just try to keep it going.

Q. Just curious, since you said you were so wired, how hard was it to go to sleep last night, and when do you think you finally shut your eyes?

CHANDLER SIMPSON: After games the adrenaline is still going. I mean, after the adrenaline kind of wore down and a couple scrolls on TikTok, I was finally able to get to sleep.