Drew Rasmussen doesn’t make a lot of noise — he just gets outs. The right-hander from Puyallup, Washington has cemented himself as one of the Tampa Bay Rays‘ most dependable starters, and his 2026 numbers back it up: a 2.75 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 130 strikeouts in 124.1 innings with an 11-5 record.
Quick Facts
- Full name: Drew Rasmussen
- Position: Starting Pitcher
- Team: Tampa Bay Rays
- Number: 57
- Bats / Throws: Right / Right
- Height / Weight: 6’1″ / 240 lbs
- Born: July 27, 1995 — Puyallup, WA
- MLB Debut: August 19, 2020
Background
Rasmussen was born on July 27, 1995, in Puyallup, Washington, and followed the classic path through the minor leagues before making his big-league debut with Tampa Bay on August 19, 2020. Since then, he’s been exactly what the Rays look for: a pitcher who competes, limits traffic on the bases, and doesn’t beat himself.
His calling card is control. A WHIP of 0.91 in 2026 puts him among the sharpest command pitchers in the game — fewer than one baserunner per inning is a standard most starters can only aspire to.
Career Highlights
Rasmussen has spent his entire MLB career with the Rays. After a strong 2025 — 10 wins, 127 strikeouts, 2.76 ERA in 150 innings — he hit a wall in 2024, limited to just 28.2 innings due to injury. He posted a 2.83 ERA in that shortened year, which speaks to his quality even when not fully healthy.
The bounce-back has been real. In 2026, Rasmussen has been sharper than ever, sitting at 11-5 with a 2.75 ERA and that surgical 0.91 WHIP. For a Rays organization built on finding and developing pitching, he’s become one of their homegrown success stories.
Season-by-Season Stats
- 2026: 11-5, 2.75 ERA, 130 K, 0.91 WHIP, 124.1 IP
- 2025: 10-5, 2.76 ERA, 127 K, 1.02 WHIP, 150.0 IP
- 2024: 0-2, 2.83 ERA, 35 K, 1.08 WHIP, 28.2 IP
Awards & Recognition
Rasmussen hasn’t collected individual hardware like MVP awards or Silver Sluggers — that’s not really his story. His currency is trust. The Rays have handed him the ball consistently, and he’s rewarded that confidence with three straight seasons under a 2.85 ERA, including two years with 10-plus wins.
One Thing Worth Knowing
The 2024 injury could have derailed him. It didn’t. Rasmussen came back in 2025 and has only gotten better since, turning what could have been a setback into a springboard. That 0.91 WHIP in 2026 isn’t luck — it’s the result of a pitcher who knows exactly what he’s doing on the mound and has put in the work to stay there.
