Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
The Brewers' hitters smoked "rally heaters" for good luck
Gen Z may be known for its increasing vape usage. But en route to the franchise’s first-ever World Series title, the 2026 Milwaukee Brewers went analog with their nicotine by smoking cigarettes for good luck.
In a piece on the title run, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Milwaukee Brewers hitters prepared in the batting cage before every game by smoking “rally heaters,” with the logic being that if they’re ripping heaters pre-game, they’ll do so during the game, too.
Milwaukee Brewers hitters smoked ‘rally heaters’ in the batting cage before games as a good-luck ritual during their 2026 World Series run
Passan said that after Game 5, Jake Bauers, Sal Frelick and Brandon Woodruff also lit rally heaters on the bus to the after-party.
According to team captain Christian Yelich, “You walk by the cage and see the cigs lit, and you’re like, the boys are ready to rock.”
“Following a 3-2 win in Game 1 and 5-4 win in Game 2 that flipped with five unanswered runs by the Brewers, the series moved to the Trop, where Milwaukee intended to finish its charge. By then, Yelich was convinced his claim wasn’t just a mantra or rallying cry. This was cosmic, replete with tobacco totems. Before Game 3, as he walked down the tunnel toward the dugout, Yelich smelled a familiar odor emanating from the batting cage. Rally heaters were aflame.”
While it can’t be confirmed or denied that the rally heaters played a role, the Brewers’ hitters were certainly raking during the World Series: Milwaukee hit .278 with a .742 OPS against fastballs, while the Rays hit .159 with a .395 OPS.
Passan’s piece also interestingly noted that while cigarette use in baseball has dropped sharply, “every MLB clubhouse still has at least one player who occasionally smokes.”
The Brewers beat the Rays in five games, clinching with a 4-1 win in Game 5 on October 28 at Tropicana Field to secure the franchise’s first title in its 57-year history.