Rays Pitcher Continues Building Strong All-Star Case

Jun 10, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) delivers a pitch during the seventh inning against Boston Red Sox at Tropicana Field. Pablo Robles-Imagn Images

Rays Pitcher Continues Building Strong All-Star Case

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Jun 13, 2026 7:00 AM ET

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The Tampa Bay Rays have received incredible contributions from players up and down their roster, helping them shock the baseball world as one of the best teams in the MLB.

Entering play on June 12, they were in first place in the American League East, battling neck and neck with the New York Yankees. It wasn’t anything that anyone had predicted coming into the year, with most analysts believing the Rays would be near the bottom of the standings.

They have surpassed all expectations to this point and completely changed the perception of the team. One of the reasons they have been able to accomplish so much has been their dominance on the mound.

There have been a few hiccups, but for the most part, the Tampa Bay pitching staff has been excellent. Anchoring the rotation once again as a worthy All-Star candidate for the AL is Drew Rasmussen.

Drew Rasmussen deserves spot on All-Star team

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

He was named an All-Star for the first time in his career in 2025, making 31 starts. It was the most starts he made in a single season in his career, with 28 being the previous high set in 2022, his first full year with the Rays.

Since landing with Tampa Bay, Rasmussen has turned into a legitimate top-of-the-rotation option, performing at a very high level. It has been more of the same in 2026, with a second All-Star nomination well within reach.

In his most recent start against the Boston Red Sox, the Rays ace delivered arguably the best start of his career. He threw seven shutout innings, striking a career-high 13 batters while allowing only two hits with one walk issued.

Drew Rasmussen continues to be one of the best pitchers in baseball, posting a 2.71 ERA through 73 innings with 77 strikeouts this season.

Here are all 77: pic.twitter.com/SBbv7KXDmB
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) June 12, 2026

It was the third time in his last four starts that Rasmussen has pitched seven shutout innings. Before doing it against the Red Sox, he also did it against the Miami Marlins and New York Yankees. Surprisingly, the only team that has roughed him up recently is the Los Angeles Angels.

On the season, he has now made 13 starts. He has thrown 73 innings and has a 2.71 ERA with 77 strikeouts. His performance has been taken to another level with a career-low 1.6 BB/9 and 6.3 H/9 ratios. That has all culminated in 2.0 bWAR.

There are a lot of great starting pitchers in the AL this year, but Rasmussen has once again proven to be among the best. He certainly deserves All-Star consideration and will have multiple more starts to continue solidifying his case.

This article first appeared on Tampa Bay Rays on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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