Drew Rasmussen

Fantasy News

• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Progresses to four innings

  Rotowire Mar 16, 2025

  Rasmussen allowed three earned runs on five hits while striking out six and walking none across four innings in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. This marked Rasmussen's second official spring start, though he completed three innings in a live batting practice session March 9. In addition to impressively striking out six batters, this was something of a milestone for Rasmussen as he hadn't completed more than two innings since May of 2023. Per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Rasmussen is operating as a starter, but it remains unclear how the Rays will sort out their starting rotation to begin the season.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Two innings in spring debut

  Rotowire Mar 6, 2025

  Rasmussen threw two scoreless innings during which he allowed one hit and one walk in Monday's Grapefruit League game against Atlanta. Rasmussen has dealt with elbow injuries across the last two seasons, severely limiting his innings. However, he's still being stretched out as a starter this spring and managed 29 pitches in his spring training debut. Per Adam Berry of MLB.com, manager Kevin Cash has stated the team will use common sense when monitoring Rasmussen's workload, which could mean he is initially used in shorter stints or his turn through the rotation is occasionally skipped.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Prepping as starter

  Rotowire Feb 20, 2025

  Rasmussen threw live batting practice Wednesday and is preparing for the season as a starter, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Rasmussen has been limited to only 24 total appearances across the last two seasons due to elbow issues, and he didn't pitch more than two innings in any outing in 2024 after returning to the mound in early August. However, he'll be set to work on a five-day starter's schedule throughout spring, something he believes will keep him healthier rather than potentially pitching back-to-back days out of the bullpen. Tampa Bay has a solid five-man unit with Shane McClanahan back after missing all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery, so Rasmussen may need a strong spring performance combined with some luck to earn a rotation spot to begin the year.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Agrees to contract extension

  Rotowire Jan 7, 2025

  The Rays and Rasmussen avoided arbitration Tuesday by agreeing to a two-year, $8 million contract extension, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. The deal also includes an $8 million club option for 2027, which could escalate to as high as $20 million if Rasmussen reaches all of his health and innings pitched incentives. There's a $500,000 buyout attached to the option, so the right-hander is guaranteed a total of $8.5 million with the extension. Rasmussen looked sharp in 2024 in his return from an internal brace procedure, holding a 2.83 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 35:6 K:BB over 28.2 innings. He is expected to return to the rotation full time in 2025, though he will have significant workload restrictions in place after totaling just 80.2 frames since the start of the 2023 season.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Earns two-inning save

  Rotowire Sep 21, 2024

  Rasmussen earned the save against the Blue Jays on Saturday, striking out three over two perfect innings. Rasmussen totaled 28 pitches over two innings and earned his first save since 2021. The 29-year-old has posted a 2.55 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 29:6 K:BB across 24.2 innings this season while working as an opener and reliever.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Opening Saturday's game

  Rotowire Sep 13, 2024

  Rasmussen will serve as the Rays' opening pitcher for Saturday's game versus the Guardians, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Rasmussen has put up a 2.79 ERA and 1.09 WHIP across 19.1 innings this season. He'll likely be asked to work the first one or two innings of Saturday's contest before turning the game over to Tyler Alexander, who is expected to work in bulk relief.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Serving as opener Wednesday

  Rotowire Aug 28, 2024

  Rasmussen will serve as the Rays' opening pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Mariners. Rasmussen will be making his third start of the season, but as was the case on the previous two occasions, he'll likely be limited to one or two innings. Tyler Alexander is expected to be deployed as a bulk reliever behind Rasmussen.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Opening Sunday's game

  Rotowire Aug 17, 2024

  Rasmussen will serve as the Rays' opening pitcher for Sunday's game against Arizona, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Rasmussen will make his second start of the season Sunday, though he's expected to pitch just one or two innings before handing the ball off to bulk reliever Tyler Alexander. Since completing his recovery from an internal brace procedure and returning from the 60-day injured list Aug. 7, Rasmussen has given up three earned runs on six hits and no walks while striking out six over five innings.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Serving as opener Saturday

  Rotowire Aug 10, 2024

  Rasmussen is slated to serve as the Rays' opening pitcher for Saturday's game against the Orioles. After returning from the 60-day injured list Wednesday upon completing his recovery from the internal brace procedure he underwent last July, Rasmussen was summoned from the bullpen later that evening and was electric in his 2024 MLB debut, striking out three Cardinals batters over two perfect innings. Though the Rays intend to have Rasmussen slot back into the rotation in 2025, he's expected to be limited mostly to 1-to-2-inning appearances coming out of the bullpen for the rest of the current season. Though he's technically starting Saturday, Rasmussen is unlikely to work more than once through the batting order before turning the game over to lefty Tyler Alexander, who is expected to operate as a bulk reliever.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Cleared for '24 debut with Tampa

  Rotowire Aug 7, 2024

  The Rays reinstated Rasmussen (elbow) from the 60-day injured list Wednesday. Rasmussen is expected to vie for a spot in the Tampa Bay rotation in 2025, but he'll be operating as a reliever down the stretch of the current season while he makes his return from the internal brace procedure he underwent last July. Though Rasmussen had a pair of Tommy John surgeries on his resume before he underwent his latest elbow operation last summer, he didn't seem to have much trouble regaining velocity or control during his rehab assignment. Over his five appearances at Triple-A Durham, Rasmussen gave up seven runs on 11 hits over 7.1 innings, but his 8:0 K:BB was encouraging. He's expected to operate as a one- or two-inning reliever for the Rays and will likely be eased back in with low-leverage work, though he could eventually push for usage in higher-leverage spots.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Set for activation Wednesday

  Rotowire Aug 7, 2024

  The Rays will activate Rasmussen (elbow) from the 60-day injured list prior to Wednesday's game in St. Louis, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Rasmussen has completed the long rehab from an internal brace procedure on his right elbow and is slated to serve as a one- or two-inning reliever for the Rays down the stretch, per Topkin. The right-hander allowed seven runs over 7.1 innings during his minor-league rehab assignment but also had an 8:0 K:BB and touched the upper-90s with his fastball. While the Rays will manage Rasmussen's workload in the final two months as a reliever this season, the plan is for him to return to a starting role in 2025.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Nearing return

  Rotowire Aug 4, 2024

  Rasmussen (elbow) is getting close to returning from the injured list, MLB.com reports. Rasmussen made his fifth rehab appearance with Triple-A Durham on Saturday and completed two innings while allowing two runs. Despite the fact that he has allowed seven earned runs across his last 3.1 frames, the Rays are expected to activate Rasmussen in the coming week. He is set to work out of the bullpen.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Throwing heat on rehab assignment

  Rotowire Jul 25, 2024

  Rasmussen (elbow) gave up one hit and struck out a batter over a scoreless inning during his rehab appearance Wednesday with Triple-A Durham. Rasmussen has tossed a pair of scoreless frames over his first two rehab outings with Durham and doesn't seem to be showing any signs of rust as he makes his way back from the internal brace procedure he underwent on his right elbow in July of 2023. Not only has he yet to issue a walk, but he's also been flashing premium velocity on his rehab assignment; six of his 16 pitches Wednesday clocked in at over 96 miles per hour, and he maxed out at 98.3 mph. Though the Rays envision Rasmussen slotting back into the rotation in 2025, he'll be joining the big club as a reliever this season once he's activated from the 60-day injured list.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Sharp in first rehab outing

  Rotowire Jul 21, 2024

  Rasmussen (elbow) recorded a strikeout as part of a 1-2-3 first inning in his rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Durham. Per Aram Leighton of JustBaseball.com, Rasmussen touched 99 miles per hour with his fastball and spotted 11 of his 15 pitches for strikes in the rehab outing, his first competitive action at any level since he underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow last July. Though the right-hander is expected to prepare for a starting role with the big club heading into the 2025 season, the Rays will ease him back from elbow surgery as a multi-inning reliever in 2024. Rasmussen will likely make at least a few more appearances in the minors before the Rays bring him back from the 60-day injured list, likely in early-to-mid August.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Tosses bullpen session

  Rotowire May 21, 2024

  Rasmussen (elbow) was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday at the Rays' spring training facility, MLB.com reports. An MLB.com report earlier this month suggested that Rasmussen had been slated to pitch in an extended spring training game May 20, but it's unclear if that actually came to fruition. In any case, Rasmussen's ability to step back on a mound Tuesday represents a positive step forward in his recovery from the internal brace procedure he underwent on his right elbow July 24, 2023. Though the hybrid procedure is designed to accelerate Rasmussen's recovery timeline compared to Tommy John surgery, expect the Rays to ease him along slowly through his throwing program, given he previously underwent two Tommy John surgeries in his career. President of baseball operations Erik Neander said in spring training that Rasmussen could be an option to rejoin the big-league pitching staff in the latter months of the 2024 season if all goes well in his rehab program.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Lands on 60-day IL

  Rotowire Feb 20, 2024

  The Rays placed Rasmussen (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday. Rasmussen underwent an internal brace procedure in July and isn't expected to return until late in the season, so the Rays will stash him away on the IL for the time being. Rasmussen's roster spot will be given to Amed Rosario, who signed with Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Late-season return expected

  Rotowire Feb 13, 2024

  Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander indicated Tuesday that he doesn't expect Rasmussen (elbow) back until well into the second half of the season, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Neander listed July or August as a timetable for Jeffrey Springs (elbow) and added that Rasmussen's return isn't expected until sometime after that. The right-hander underwent an internal brace procedure in July and probably can't be counted on as an impact fantasy option again until 2025.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Avoids arbitration

  Rotowire Jan 11, 2024

  Rasmussen (elbow) signed a one-year, $1.8625 million contract with the Rays on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. A right flexor strain put an early end to Rasmussen's season in May, and the 28-year-old righty underwent an internal brace procedure in July that will cause him to miss the first half of 2024. Rasmussen has been a key part of the Rays' rotation since joining the team in 2021, but his fantasy value going forward will be dependent on how well he's able to perform post-injury.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Out until middle of next year

  Rotowire Jul 8, 2023

  Manager Kevin Cash said Saturday that Rasmussen (elbow) will undergo an internal brace procedure and won't return until the middle of next season, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. The Rays had previously hoped that Rasmussen would be able to return late in this season after he hit the 60-day injured list with a right flexor strain in mid-May, but that won't be the case. The righty will avoid undergoing Tommy John surgery for the third time in his career, but not by a wide margin. The internal brace alternative is a similar surgery and carries a recovery time that's at best only somewhat shorter.

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• Rays' Drew Rasmussen: To 60-day IL with flexor strain

  Rotowire May 12, 2023

  Rasmussen was placed on the 60-day injured list by the Rays on Friday with a right flexor strain, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Rasmussen just tossed seven shutout innings against the Yankees on Thursday, but evidently he must have felt something in his elbow and/or forearm after the outing. He's hoping to avoid surgery, per Topkin, but will be facing a lengthy absence regardless. Rasmussen has already had Tommy John surgery twice. It's a major blow to a rotation that has already lost Jeffrey Springs to Tommy John surgery and is still awaiting the season debut of Tyler Glasnow (oblique). Taj Bradley has struggled in his last few starts at Triple-A Durham but could still be an obvious candidate to replace Rasmussen in the Tampa Bay rotation.

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