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Rays say they have 'every intention' of Drew Rasmussen being part of 2027 rotation
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- Rays say they have 'every intention' of Drew Rasmussen being part of 2027 rotation
Drew Rasmussen's name has been at the top of every offseason trade candidates list, but the Rays' ace may not be available.
Rays President of Baseball Operations Erik Neandersaid that the organization has "every intention" of having Rasmussen anchor the rotation in 2027, per Marc Topkins of the Tampa Bay Times .
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Tampa has already exercised its option to retain Rasmussen for $20 million next season, a no-brainer move, but that makes the right-hander a prime candidate for a team looking to win a title in 2027 while allowing the Rays to recoup assets at the same time.
ESPN's Jeff Passan pointed out that with the Rasmussen contract, and without making any more moves, the Rays would be above their 2026 salary.
The often-shrewd Rays are well known for dealing prized assets for future gains (see: Randy Arozarena, Chris Archer, Aubrey Huff), which makes the buzz surrounding Rasmussen justified, especially after the season he had.
The 31-year-old was one of the best pitchers in the American League, pitching to a 16-5 record and a 2.67 ERA. He made the All-Star team in back-to-back seasons and was great this postseason, helping the Rays to the AL pennant.
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In five playoff starts, he pitched to a 2.20 ERA, allowing one run or fewer in three of them, including a near no-hitter against the Yankees in the ALDS.
The Mets are obviously in the market for top-of-the-line starting pitching to round out their rotation around Nolan McLeanand Christian Scott.While free agents Tarik Skubaland Michael Kingwill get the team's attention this offseason, Rasmussen could be a target for the right prospect package.
