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
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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.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Strong run continues
Rotowire
Rasmussen (9-4) allowed one earned run on six hits and one walk while striking out nine across 5.1 innings to earn the win Thursday against the Angels.
Rasmussen allowed only a solo home run to Taylor Ward and tallied a win in his third consecutive start. He has allowed only four earned runs across 19.1 innings in that span while also maintaining a 24:2 K:BB. With that strong stretch, he now owns a 2.77 ERA across 110.2 frames for the season.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Strikes out eight in win
Rotowire
Rasmussen (8-4) earned the win Saturday, allowing two runs on two hits and one walk over 5.2 innings against the Royals. He struck out eight.
Rasmussen allowed only one extra-base hit in the form of a double from shortstop Bobby Witt. The righty has been particularly effective lately with a 33:6 K:BB and a 0.83 WHIP over 38.2 innings over his last seven starts. In addition, the 27-year-old has been significantly better at home with a 1.99 ERA and 0.75 WHIP in 58.2 innings compared to a 3.86 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in 46.2 innings away from Tampa Bay.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Possible waiver wire pickups
Rotowire
OK, so Rasmussen threw eight perfect innings Sunday before a hit and a couple of wild pitches forced him out in the ninth. A performance like that will rightfully draw some looks on the waiver wire, especially since it lowered his ERA to 2.80 and his WHIP to 1.08. He's useful enough, especially in leagues where you can take advantage of his relief pitcher eligibility, but I'd argue he's not the highest-priority pickup. As good as Sunday's start was, he allowed eight hard-hit balls, according to Statcast, which is a lot. All of his ERA estimators, especially the 4.05 xERA, would suggest he's no stranger to good luck. One reason may be that the Rays pull him so early from games, but that's its own problem. Sunday's start was only his fifth of six innings or more.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Nearly perfect in win
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Rasmussen (7-4) earned the win Sunday against Baltimore, striking out seven and allowing a run on one hit in 8.1 innings.
Rasmussen came within three outs of tossing a perfect game Sunday, but his efforts were thwarted when Jorge Mateo knocked a double on the first pitch of the ninth inning. It was an efficient outing as he tossed 87 pitches -- 62 for strikes. Rasmussen was removed with one out in the ninth after his second wild pitch of the inning led to a runner reaching safely after a dropped third strike. Since returning from a hamstring injury at the beginning of July, he's compiled a 1.94 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 33:9 K:BB in 41.2 innings over eight starts.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Early exit part of pre-planned move
Rotowire
Rasmussen was lifted in the top of the fourth inning of his start in Sunday's 7-0 win over the Tigers in a "baseball decision," Ryan Bass of Bally Sports Sun reports. He struck out two over three no-hit innings and didn't factor into the decision.
Manager Kevin Cash made no indication that Rasmussen would be limited while returning to the mound Sunday on his standard four days' rest, but that's exactly what happened, even though the right-hander faced one more than the minimum through three innings while throwing just 33 pitches. Since he departed with the game tied 0-0, Rasmussen didn't come away with the win after Tampa Bay plated all seven of their runs in the top of the ninth inning. The early exit on a day he was pitching so well was surely frustrating for fantasy managers, but Rasmussen at least turned in a 1.00 ERA and 0.88 WHIP during his two-start week.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Leaves with apparent injury
Rotowire
Rasmussen was lifted in the bottom of the fourth inning of his start Sunday against the Tigers with an apparent injury, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. He struck out two over three no-hit innings before departing.
Only an Isaac Paredes fielding error prevented Rasmussen from facing the minimum amount of batters through three innings, and since Tampa Bay wasn't planning on having Rasmussen make a short start Sunday, it appears safe to assume his early exit was due to some sort of physical concern. Expect the Rays to provide an update on Rasmussen's situation later Sunday.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Pitches well in loss
Rotowire
Rasmussen (6-4) took the loss Tuesday against Toronto, allowing a run on six hits and two walks while striking out three in six innings.
Rasmussen allowed a two-out RBI single in the first inning and then held Toronto scoreless the rest of the way. Since returning from a hamstring injury at the beginning of July, he's allowed two earned runs or fewer in five of his six starts, compiling a 2.38 ERA and 24:9 K:BB while allowing just one long ball in 30.1 innings in that span. His 88.1 innings on the season represent a career high in any professional season.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Registers another short start
Rotowire
Rasmussen didn't factor in the decision against Baltimore on Wednesday, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk while striking out four batters over 4.2 innings.
Rasmussen didn't allow any extra-base hits in the contest, but the Orioles were able to string together baserunners well enough to put up three runs against him. The Rays appear intent on keeping the right-hander relatively fresh, as he's thrown five or more innings only twice over his past six starts despite delivering a respectable 3.45 ERA during that span. Rasmussen isn't going to pick up many wins if that trend continues, but he's pitched well enough this year to deserve a roster spot in deeper fantasy leagues.
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Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Sharp in sixth win
Rotowire
Rasmussen (6-3) gave up one earned run on seven hits and a walk while striking out four over five innings to earn the win in a 7-3 victory over the Royals on Friday.
Rasmussen looked good in his first start back after the All-Star break, holding the Royals to only one run over five innings of work on 94 pitches. He has been solid since coming back from a hamstring injury at the beginning of July and boasts a 2.29 ERA in four starts this month. The 26-year-old right-hander has excellent spin on his fastball and opponents are hitting .245 on the four-seamer so far this season. Rasmussen tentatively lines up for another favorable matchup at Baltimore next week.
