Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Out until middle of next year
Rotowire
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
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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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Dominates across seven innings
Rotowire
Rasmussen (4-2) earned the win against the Yankees on Thursday, with seven shutout innings while allowing two hits. He struck out seven.
For the second time this month, Rasmussen stifled the Yankees. He tossed 5.2 shutout innings Saturday and has not allowed a run in 21 career innings against the Yankees. The righty has been excellent for the first-place Rays this season with a 2.62 ERA. For the first time in his career, he is striking out more than a batter per inning, with 47 punchouts in 44.2 innings.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Takes no-decision against White Sox
Rotowire
Rasmussen allowed three runs on nine hits while striking out three over five innings against the White Sox on Sunday. He did not walk a batter nor did he factor into the decision.
The White Sox got to Rasmussen in the opening frame with a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly. He faced little resistance through the order until the sixth inning, during which he allowed a leadoff base hit before Yasmani Grandal sent one over the wall in center to put the Sox ahead 3-2. Rasmussen's day would conclude abruptly following the home run ball. It was just the second homer he's allowed this year, but he's been knocked around quite a bit, allowing at least eight hits in three of his last four outings while failing to surpass five innings. The 27-year-old has been hit or miss in six starts this season and now owns a 3.66 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 34:9 K:BB over 32 innings. He's lined up to take the mound in a divisional clash with the Yankees next weekend.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Falls to Houston
Rotowire
Rasmussen (3-2) took the loss Tuesday, allowing five runs on nine hits and two walks over 4.2 innings against the Astros. He struck out five.
Rasmussen worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and held Houston off the board over the first four frames. However, he'd stumble in the fifth, allowing five runs on six hits en route to a 5-0 loss. Rasmussen has held the opposition scoreless in three of his five outings this year, though he's allowed 10 runs over his other two starts. The 27-year-old right-hander has a 3.33 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 31:9 K:BB through 27 innings this season.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Fans seven in win over Reds
Rotowire
Rasmussen (3-1) picked up the win Wednesday, allowing three hits and three walks over five scoreless innings in an 8-0 victory over the Reds. He struck out seven.
The right-hander got staked to a 6-0 lead before he set foot on the mound, but Rasmussen gave Cincy no glimmers of hope, firing 51 of 78 pitches for strikes before hitting the showers. The 27-year-old rebounded nicely from a shaky outing against the Blue Jays, and Rasmussen will take a 2.01 ERA and 26:7 K:BB through 22.2 innings into his next start, likely to come next week at home against the Astros.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Runs into Jays buzzsaw
Rotowire
Rasmussen (2-1) gave up five earned runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out four in 4.1 innings Friday in Toronto. He took the loss.
After dominating a couple rebuilding clubs (Oakland and Washington) in his first two starts, Rasmussen faced a much tougher challenge against a strong Jays lineup in a hitter-friendly park and it showed in the box score. Rasmussen should still provide plenty of fantasy value over the rest of the season, but this outing showed that he's not necessarily a must-start option.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Sharp in win
Rotowire
Rasmussen (2-0) earned the win Sunday, allowing one hit and no walks over seven scoreless innings against the Athletics. He struck out eight.
Rasmussen has had a pair of favorable matchups to begin the season, as he struck out seven in six scoreless frames against the Nationals on Monday prior to Sunday's gem against Oakland. Regardless of his opponents, he's allowed just three baserunners while striking out 15 in 13 scoreless innings to earn back-to-back wins. The righty posted a 2.84 ERA and 1.04 WHIP over 28 starts last year, and he's shown no signs of slowing down in 2023. Rasmussen tentatively lines up for a slightly tougher test on the road against Toronto his next time out, but he's still a solid fantasy play given his dominance over his first two starts.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Fires six scoreless frames
Rotowire
Rasmussen (1-0) earned the win over Washington on Monday, yielding two hits and no walks while striking out seven batters over six scoreless innings.
Rasmussen was very efficient in his first outing of the season, needing only 66 pitches to make it through six fames. The right-hander surrendered just a pair of singles and threw 50 of 66 pitches for strikes en route to the win. Rasmussen has been somewhat undervalued in fantasy despite posting a 2.84 ERA and 1.04 WHIP as a full-time starter last season, but more appearances like Monday's could help him develop more hype. He's tentatively scheduled to face a weak-hitting Oakland offense at home in his next start.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Sharp in recent spring outing
Rotowire
Rasmussen allowed one run (none earned) on one hit and one walk while striking out three across three innings in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Tigers.
Rasmussen was hit hard in his first outing of the exhibition season, but he rebounded his second time out. In addition to the solid line, he also ramped up to 47 pitches and should continue to stretch out across his next couple of appearances prior to the regular season. Rasmussen is coming off a breakout campaign in which he transitioned from a reliever to a full-time starter and posted a 2.84 ERA and 1.04 WHIP across 146 innings.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Being saved for postseason
Rotowire
Rasmussen will not make his scheduled start Wednesday in Boston as the Rays look to line him up for the postseason, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
This makes sense from the team's perspective. Rasmussen had a 2.40 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 63.2 innings over his final 11 appearances. It's unclear who will make the spot start Wednesday.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Shows excellent control in win
Rotowire
Rasmussen (11-7) gave up two earned runs on five hits and no walks while striking out three over seven innings to earn the win in a 7-3 victory over the Astros on Friday.
Rasmussen continued his superb 2022 campaign with a win over the best team in the American League to clinch the Rays a postseason berth. Rasmussen did not walk a batter and lasted seven strong innings despite throwing only 73 pitches. The 27-year-old right-hander has shown excellent control by walking only 31 batters in 146 innings pitched this season. He is tentatively expected to make his final regular season start of the year at Boston next week, although that could change depending on how the Rays plan to use him in the playoffs.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Takes loss in quality start
Rotowire
Rasmussen (10-7) took the loss Saturday, allowing one run on three hits and two walks over 6.1 innings against the Blue Jays. He struck out five.
Rasmussen surrendered a double from Teoscar Hernandez in the seventh inning prior to exiting the game, so he was charged with one of the three runs from second baseman Whit Merrifield's seventh-inning blast off lefty reliever Brooks Raley. The righty has recorded three straight losses, allowing nine runs in 16.1 innings over that span. The 27-year-old's home results have been much better as he boasts a 2.24 ERA and 0.83 WHIP over 76.1 innings compared to a 3.59 ERA and 1.34 WHIP over 62.2 innings on the road.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Takes second straight loss
Rotowire
Rasmussen (10-6) allowed four runs on six hits and one walk while striking out three batters over six innings to take the loss against Houston on Monday.
Rasmussen served up a game-opening homer to Jose Altuve in the first inning, but he limited Houston to that one run through five frames. However, the Astros tagged him for three runs in the sixth, which was more than enough to send him to defeat in a game during which the Rays were shut out. Rasmussen has given up eight earned runs in his last two starts, resulting in his first two-game losing streak of the campaign. He's pitched to a strong 2.92 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 117:29 K:BB over 132.2 innings overall on the campaign.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Four runs over four innings
Rotowire
Rasmussen (10-5) took the loss Wednesday, allowing four runs on six hits and one walk over four innings in a 5-1 loss against the Blue Jays. He struck out one.
Rasmussen was not at his best Wednesday, allowing as many as four runs for the first time since June 10. The Blue Jays got to him early, as Vladimir Guerrero hit a solo shot in the first inning, and Rasmussen never settled in as he also conceded runs in the third and fourth innings. He'd recorded back-to-back quality starts leading into Wednesday, so he will look to get back to form in his next scheduled start against Houston next week.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Strikes out double-digit batters
Rotowire
Rasmussen (10-4) earned the win against the Yankees on Friday, allowing no runs on six hits while striking out 10 and walking none over six innings.
Rasmussen tossed a six-inning gem Friday, throwing 68 of 94 pitches for strikes and stranding six Yankees baserunners. In typical Tampa fashion, it has been very careful with his innings, as Rasmussen has finished the sixth inning only seven times in 24 starts. The righty earned a quality start in each game where he has lasted through the sixth inning or longer, including Friday's win over the Yanks. The 10 strikeouts marks a single-game season high for Rasmussen, who will take a 2.57 ERA into his next appearance.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Reinstated from paternity list
Rotowire
Rasmussen (personal) was reinstated from the paternity list Friday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Rasmussen was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday in anticipation of the birth of his first child and is now ready to return to the team. The 27-year-old righty holds a minuscule 1.59 ERA and 0.53 WHIP over his last five starts.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Moves to paternity list
Rotowire
The Rays officially placed Rasmussen (personal) on the paternity list Tuesday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
The transaction opens up a spot on the 28-man active roster for Yonny Chirinos (elbow), who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move. Rasmussen had been scheduled to start Tuesday's game against the Red Sox, but after he left the team in anticipation of the birth of his first child, the Rays will have JT Chargois serve as their opening pitcher. Chirinos, meanwhile, built up to three innings in his most recent rehab start Thursday and could be deployed behind Chargois as a primary pitcher. Rasmussen will be away from the Rays for the next 1-to-3 days and could reclaim a rotation spot this weekend against the Yankees.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Scratched from Tuesday's start
Rotowire
Rasmussen will not start Tuesday against the Red Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Rasmussen's wife is expecting the couple's first child, and Rasmussen was excused from the team to be with his growing family. It remains to be seen both who will start Tuesday in his place and when he will take the ball next.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Quality start against Miami
Rotowire
Rasmussen didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 2-1 extra-inning win over the Marlins, allowing one run on four hits over six innings. He struck out four without walking a batter.
The right-hander battled Trevor Rogers for five scoreless innings before Jon Berti (hip) popped a solo shot to left-center field in the sixth, but the Rays got Rasmussen off the hook for a loss right away with a run in the bottom of the frame. The 27-year-old delivered his sixth quality start of the season, and since the All-Star break he's reeled off eight straight outings giving up two earned runs or less -- a stretch in which Rasmussen boasts a 1.84 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 41:6 K:BB through 44 innings.
