The schedule matters here. The Brewers finished off their 4-game NLCS sweep of the Dodgers on October 15, so they'll have had a full week off by first pitch. The Rays needed 6 games to get past Cleveland and won the pennant on October 19, so they get 3 days. That means a fully rested Milwaukee bullpen against a Tampa Bay team that's still in rhythm. Which of those matters more is the first real question of the series.
Both teams got here on pitching. Over each club's last 5 games, nobody scored more than 4 runs on Milwaukee and nobody scored more than 3 on Tampa Bay. Brewers pitchers held the Dodgers to 1 run in each of the first 2 NLCS games. Tampa Bay's offense has been more streaky than steady. In the clincher it scored 3 early and then put the game away late on 2-run homers from Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz. Against a Milwaukee staff this good, the Rays probably need to win the same way: grind out early runs and wait for one swing.
The injury news to watch is Brandon Woodruff. He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that "it's gonna be hard to keep me off that roster." Other reporting says he's still working his way back from major shoulder surgery. If he makes the roster, Milwaukee gets another arm for the later games in St. Petersburg. If he doesn't, nothing changes from the staff that just swept Los Angeles. The Brewers won 15 of the 28 career meetings between these clubs, including 2 of 3 in Milwaukee earlier this season. First pitch Friday is 7:00 PM CT.