Joe Maddon to Throw First Pitch as World Series Game 3 Returns to Tropicana Field
Joe Maddon is heading back to the mound where he made Tampa Bay history. The former Rays manager will throw the ceremonial first pitch before Game 3 of the World Series on Monday night, as the Fall Classic returns to Tropicana Field for the first time since 2008.
A homecoming 18 years in the making
USA TODAY reported that Maddon, now 72, will throw out the first pitch at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, before the Tampa Bay Rays host the Milwaukee Brewers, with first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on Fox. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel confirmed the same honour, reporting that Maddon will take the mound ahead of Game 3 on Monday 26 October.
The occasion carries a neat piece of symmetry. The last World Series game played at Tropicana Field was in 2008, when Maddon was in the Rays dugout, and the home side won that night 4-2 against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 2 of that series, according to USA TODAY. The Rays went on to lose that World Series, but the run itself transformed the franchise.
The manager who changed Tampa Bay
Maddon managed the Rays from 2006 to 2014, USA TODAY reported, a spell that began with a 101-loss season in 2006 and ended with a 754-705 record. By 2008, the club had shed the “Devil” from its nickname, debuted a rookie named Evan Longoria, won 97 games and claimed the American League East before winning the pennant, USA TODAY reported.
MLB.com, quoted by the Journal Sentinel, described Maddon as fondly remembered for his transformational role in Tampa Bay history, noting his analytically minded methods and his personal touches, from themed dress-up trips to loosening formal dress codes in the clubhouse. After leaving Tampa Bay, Maddon led the Chicago Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years in 2016, USA TODAY reported, and later managed the Los Angeles Angels from 2020 to 2022.
Why Game 3 matters so much
The Rays arrive home in trouble. Milwaukee won the first two games of the series, 3-2 and 5-4, and now needs only two more wins for the first championship in franchise history, USA TODAY reported. Tampa Bay, the American League’s top seed, must win four of the remaining five games to turn the series around.
Monday night’s pregame show pairs Maddon’s return with another star turn: Grammy-winning country singer Carly Pearce will perform the national anthem before first pitch, USA TODAY reported.
For Maddon, it is a return to the ballpark where his reputation was built.
Sources: USA TODAY, 26 October 2026; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 October 2026.