Fully recovered from an elbow procedure that cost him much of the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Tampa Bay right-hander Drew Rasmussen will return to the rotation for good Monday night when the Rays open a three-game home series with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Rasmussen, 29, was shut down on May 12, 2023, due to a forearm strain and was eventually lost for the season after undergoing his third career major elbow procedure. He returned to action last summer and went 0-2 with a 2.83 ERA, one save and a 1.08 WHIP in 16 short appearances.
Rasmussen yielded nine earned runs and 25 hits in 28 2/3 innings with 35 strikeouts and six walks. Batters hit .229 against him, without a homer.
Rasmussen has no decisions and a 3.68 ERA in five relief appearances against the Pirates.
It is intentionally crowded in the Rays’ rotation.
Erik Neander, the team’s president of baseball operations, said the intention was to come out of camp with “ideally a little heavy” number of starting arms.
Rasmussen, a former Oregon State pitcher, joins a staff that includes injured ace Shane McClanahan, Opening Day starter Ryan Pepiot, Zack Littell, Taj Bradley and Shane Baz.
“They’re pros, they understand, they see numbers,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said in camp. “The six that have been publicly alluded to are pretty deserving of opportunities to take the ball every fifth day.”
Monday’s game will be the first one under the lights for the Rays, who won 6-4 on Sunday to take two of three games in their season-opening series with the Colorado Rockies.
Tampa Bay’s first three contests were played at their new temporary home at George M. Steinbrenner Field, the spring training home of the rival New York Yankees and their Florida State League Class-A affiliate Tampa Tarpons.
Meanwhile, the Pirates likely are kicking themselves after their four-game series in South Florida against the Miami Marlins — one that could have resulted in the visitors possibly winning four times.
The homestanding Marlins, overwhelmingly picked to finish last in the National League East, recorded three walk-off victories over Pittsburgh.
They got their first two wins on singles by Kyle Stowers and Dane Myers. On Sunday, Pittsburgh reliever David Bednar uncorked a wild pitch that gave Miami its third win in the final at-bat.
That last occurrence was not the strangest of the season’s opening weekend.
After Nick Gonzales homered on Opening Day, the organization announced that the second baseman suffered a non-displaced fractured ankle during his home run trot.
Shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and catcher Joey Bart lead the team in hitting at .333 (4-for-12), while Oneil Cruz, Gonzales and Andrew McCutchen have one home run apiece.
Cruz, who was moved to center field from shortstop last August, has a team-high four stolen bases and six walks.
Right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski (5-5, 3.38 ERA in 2024), a reliever by trade, is locked in a rotation spot and will start for Pittsburgh on Monday. Tuesday’s starter has not been announced, but ace Paul Skenes is scheduled to pitch in the series finale on Wednesday.
“He was pretty consistent all spring,” manager Derek Shelton said of Mlodzinski. “His velocity held. I think the way he took care of himself this winter, we’ve seen the breaking ball continue to get better, and he earned that spot.”
Mlodzinski is 8-8 with a 2.91 ERA in 75 career appearances (70 in relief) and 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in one career start vs. the Rays.
–Field Level Media
