Ken Rosenthal is still not doing his reputation very many favors.
The Athletic reporter Rosenthal got called out after the Tampa Bay Rays’ dramatic walk-off victory in Game 4 of the World Series on Tuesday. Rosenthal was in the locker room doing postgame media scrums and asked Rays shortstop Taylor Walls a controversial question.
“Did you feel it was important for you guys to win one just to show that you’re on this level?” asked Rosenthal.
That led to a tense response from Walls, who called Rosenthal’s question “disrespectful.” Walls said that the Rays felt like they could win the entire series, not just one game.
WATCH: "At the end of the day, we think we can win the whole thing." #Rays shortstop Taylor Walls says it is disrespectful to think this team could just win one WS game. He’s confident this team can win four in a row to take home the organization’s first ever #WorldSeries title. https://t.co/3T8aBIpUva
— Mark Skol, Jr. (@markskoljrTV) October 28, 2026
Tampa Bay won 98 games during the regular season and largely dominated in the AL playoffs as well, making for a very well-deserved pennant victory. Thus, it was somewhat offensive for Rosenthal to indicate that the Rays were simply a stepping stone to the ultimate coronation of the Brewers, even if Tampa Bay did lose the first three games.
Rosenthal has a long resume of hard work over his multiple decades in baseball media. But he has also been accused in recent years of supposedly being biased and making himself the center of attention. Many fans also recall the incident from last year in which Rosenthal angrily stared down a photographer he had knocked down.
