As a bartender for the better part of 20 years, I know about pairing cocktails for people as downright spiritual cure-alls, and you’d have a hard time finding higher highs or lower lows of any fan outside of the MLB. There’s quite a lot driving this season thus far though: an explosive rookie crop, the upheaval involved with the introduction of the Automatic Ball Strike system, the emergence of some clubs from rebuilding to contender and other currently falling greats. Here’s a sampling of 9 ball clubs and cocktails pairings for celebration, or drowning one’s sorrows, for your chosen team.

New York Yankees

A perennial winner dealing with persistent injuries, the Bronx Bombers deserve a drink that’s a little salty. 

Cocktail: Salty Dog – An alternate take on the dry-Gin Greyhound that swept London in popularity, this version was originated by Brooklyn native Geoge Jessel (nicknamed “Toastmaster General of the United States”), substituting Vodka and a salted rim to offset the sharp citrus notes of grapefruit juice.

• 1.5 oz Vodka
• 3 oz (preferably fresh-squeezed) grapefruit juice
• Rim: 1 lime wedge, dash of coarse sea salt
• Pour over ice with rimmed glass and garnish with fresh grapefruit or lime

Toronto Blue Jays

After a heartbreaking Game 7 World Series loss last year, Blue Jays fans need a stiff drink with some regional pride. 

Cocktail: The Toronto – While it might be lacking a bit in namesake originality, this alternative to an Old Fashioned (no matter how much you may have loved watching “Mad Men”) is distinctive in its foundational presence of Canadian whisky blended with the robust backing of Fernet-Branca standing in for sweet vermouth. I

• 2 oz Canadian Rye whisky
• 0.25 oz Fernet-Branca
• 0.25 oz simple syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Garnish: Orange twist
• Add to mixing tin or glass, stir until chilled and strain over rocks with garnish

Boston Red Sox 

The most underperforming important team of 2026, Boston should lean into the past to distract from their present. There’s no way you’re coming back to relevance this year and there’s also no way you’re switching allegiances (which is commendable).

Cocktail: The Ward Eight – This drink, named after an electoral district that helped send a prominent local Bostonian to the statehouse in 1898, has a direct association with the city’s history and celebrating victory. So that couldn’t hurt any chances, right? Either way, the candidate was ironically a prohibitionist and had the bar that invented it shut down (later reopened in the 1950s), so enjoy it in defiance of whatever adversaries seek to strike down your good fortune.

• 2 oz Rye whiskey
• 0.5 oz lemon juice
• 0.5 oz Orange juice
• 2 tsp Pomegranate Grenadine
• Shake with ice and strain up or over rocks with cherry garnish

St. Louis Cardinals 

The National League’s winningest team of all time is often overlooked by the National League’s biggest spending/current winningest team. So here’s an often overlooked cocktail option. 

Cocktail: In A Pickle – Created by Ted Kilgore (co-owner of local haunts Planter’s House and Small Change), his creations have only garnered local acclaim, but have been profiled in Esquire and Food & Wine to boot. A fresh and unique take ahead of its time (given that savory or herb-forward cocktails have become far more normalized) the cocktail remains a sort of “bartender’s handshake” around the city (ex. – think “Animal Style” at In & Out, you’ve got to know it to ask for it).

• 1.5 oz. Hendrick’s gin
• 0.5 oz. Velvet falernum
• 0.5 oz. St. Germain elderflower liqueur
• .75 oz. lime juice
• 2 sprigs dill (optional)
• 2 slices cucumber
• *Shake vigorously with ice and strain over cubes in rocks glass, garnish with 1 slice of cucumber

Chicago Cubs 

Don’t overthink it. Also, what is a cocktail anyway? It can be a shot and a beer, right? What? It’s not that? Whatever. We needed an excuse to get Malört in this thing and no one orders Malört cocktails.

Cocktail: Chicago Handshake – While Wrigley Field does have an official partnership with Jim Beam, it’s hard to resist throwing in a curve ball (…any puns are truly involuntary) by offering a truly local artifact to the mix. A favorite offering of nearby Nisei Lounge and due to cH Distilling making Jeppson’s Malort available in more national markets, it’s not anything high-brow or overcomplicated. And, much like Chicagoans, gets straight to the point.

• 1.5 oz. Jeppson’s Malӧrt
• 1 pint Old Style or similar Pilsner
• *Pour liquor into shot glass, drink and chase/enjoy with beer

Chicago White Sox

Southside was on their first City Connect jersey for a good reason. Once again, don’t overthink it. 

Cocktail: Southside Fizz – There’s allegedly a debate whether or not this incarnation is named after the city’s neighborhood home to the team, or invented at Southside Sportsmen’s Club on Long Island. We’re going to trust the former, but it dates back to Prohibition and is a truly refreshing elixir for Summer or otherwise.

• 2 fl oz London Dry Gin
• 0.5 oz Lemon juice
• 0.5 oz Lime juice
• .75 oz Simple Syrup
• 6-7 fresh Mint leaves
• 3 oz soda water
• *Gently muddle the fresh mint leaves with the simple syrup in shaker tin, add Gin and citrus, shake with ice and strain over glass with ice, top with soda

Atlanta Braves

The Braves are one of baseball’s best teams. Again. They appear to float above issues that would cripple other teams. So how about a drink with a floating element? 

Cocktail: ATL Sour – Also known as a Georgia Whiskey Sour, “NYC x ATL” Sour or a Peach Perfect, this drink proves the rule that a rose by any other name is just as sweet. Quite literally given the fruit influence combined with the caramel notes of Crown Royal. The southern twist on a northern classic tops it off with a rich red wine float to mimic an Atlanta sunset.

• 1.5 oz. Crown Royal Peach Flavored Whiskey
• 1 oz. Malbec wine
• 0.5 oz. simple syrup
• 0.5 oz. Lemon juice
• (Optional) Garnish: Peach slice
• *Combine whiskey, simple & lemon in shaker with ice. Shake and strain over ice in fresh glass. Pour wine slowly over the back of a spoon, to allow for it to “float” on top, garnish with fruit.

Philadelphia Phillies 

The team with the strongest fan base needs the strongest drink. 

Cocktail: Fish House Punch – An often criminally overlooked classic cocktail (given that other worthwhile staples like the Clover Club or Philly Flyer garner more recognition), this concoction dates back to 1732 and credited to Schuylkill Fishing Company of Pennsylvania, the first angling club in the 13 Colonies. Legend has it that upon a visit, George Washington consumed so much of the potent brew that he couldn’t bring himself to make his regular diary entry for 3 days straight. Subsequently, it became his favorite. Mixing at volume is required prior to enjoying, but who’s to deny the taste of a man with wooden teeth?

• 1 750 mL. Bottle Dark Rum
• 12 oz Cognac
• 6 oz Peach Brandy (Substitute Cointreau or Triple Sec if needed)
• 3 Cups black tea
• 1.5 Cups Lemon juice
• .75 Cups Lime Juice
• 1 Cup Simple Syrup
• Garnish: Sliced lemon rounds
• *Mix all ingredients together in a large punch bowl. Recommended: Allow to chill in a refrigerator for 3-4 hours to let flavors blend. Add ice to bowl or strain over ice per glass, garnish and enjoy. Drinks strong, so be warned.

Detroit Tigers 

You have every right to be bitter if you’re a Tigers fan. This team doesn’t know if it’s atrocious or great. While you can’t be sure if Detroit is rebuilding or contending, at least this drink pairs great with the best announcer in baseball. 

Cocktail: The Last Word – Originating from the Detroit Athletic Club as far back as 1916, this drink eventually swept throughout the country after being passed on by an enthusiastic fan to the Waldorf Astoria in New York and beyond. Bitter herbaceous notes are balanced perfectly by the distant cherry element and clean finish of its primary base spirit: Gin. And the finished color is quite rich and inviting as well.

• 3/4 oz Gin
• 3/4 oz Green Chartreuse
• 3/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
• 3/4 oz Fresh lime juice
• Shake all with ice, strain up, Luxardo cherry for garnish

This piece is in Recommend If You Like The Baseball Issue Summer 2026. You can find physical copies in bars, cafes and stores in Chicago and Washington, D.C. The newspaper is available for purchase here. 

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