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
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: Takes first loss
Rotowire
Rasmussen (0-1) allowed one earned run in two hits and a walk while striking out one over 1.2 innings to take the loss against the Phillies.
Rasmussen has pitched in a multi-inning relief role since being activated from the injured list Aug. 7. He has been effective for the most part, turning in eight scoreless appearances in 11 chances while also tallying two holds. Even in Wednesday's loss, Rasmussen wasn't hit particularly hard as he surrendered two singles to account for the majority of the damage against him.
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.
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
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.
Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Cleared for '24 debut with Tampa
Rotowire
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
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
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
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
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.
