Drew Rasmussen has been a dominant weapon in Rays rotation

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen. John Jones-Imagn Images

Drew Rasmussen has been a dominant weapon in Rays rotation

By Vanessa Serrao | Last updated Jun 11, 2026 12:28 PM ET

The Tampa Bay Rays have a dominant force in their starting rotation that deserves more recognition.

30-year-old right-handed starter Drew Rasmussen is boasting a 6-2 record and 2.71 ERA with 77 strikeouts and a 0.88 WHIP across 73 innings pitched this season. His 0.88 WHIP is also tied for third-best in all of MLB.

Since 2021, Rasmussen has held an incredible 2.77 ERA (second-lowest) among all MLB pitchers with at least 400 innings pitched during that stretch, demonstrating his consistency and reliability on the mound for the Rays.

His pitching efficiency and resiliency are two factors that have played a significant role in his ongoing prosperity.

Lowest ERA by a Starting Pitcher since the start of the 2021 season (Min 300 IP).

1. Paul Skenes 2.13
2. Jacob deGrom 2.57
3. Shohei Ohtani 2.62
4. Yoshinobu Yamamoto 2.67
5. Drew Rasmussen 2.78#RaysUp pic.twitter.com/sS5exfeZPo
— Eric Cross (@EricCrossMLB) June 11, 2026

Drew Rasmussen has been a driving force in the rotation for the Rays

Rasmussen made a breakthrough in his career, being one of only nine pitchers in MLB history to return from three major elbow/Tommy John surgeries. But what's even more remarkable is that he is the only one to earn an All-Star nod after making such an incredible comeback.

This season, Rasmussen was faced with two near-miss performances, showcasing his ability to record scoreless outings deep into games. On both June 5 and June 10, he pitched seven dominant innings, illustrating his ability to limit opponents to weak contact.

In his June 10 start, he retired 17 consecutive Boston Red Sox batters and recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts. His four-seamer and cutter worked very well together to put away Red Sox hitters.

He also lowered his ERA from 3.00 to 2.71 while also becoming the first pitcher in franchise history to rack up 22 or more strikeouts, one or fewer walks and three or fewer hits across two starts.

Following his career-high 13-strikeout performance, he's likely entered the conversation of being an AL Cy Young candidate.

Vanessa Serrao

Serrao is a freelance baseball writer who has covered all MLB teams, with particular expertise on the Toronto Blue Jays. She is a member of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America.

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