Drew

Rasmussen

This was obviously the plan going in. Rasmussen was supposed to be on a limit of about 150 innings this season as he returned the rotation, and the Rays pulled him at exactly the 150-inning mark today. Because of the way the Rays used him, Rasmussen’s fantasy impact was severely curtailed over the last three months — he pitched a total of 65 2/3 innings in his final 15 starts and won only three times — but his season line of 10-5 with a 2.76 ERA is exceptional. With a normal workload in store next year, he should be a top-40 SP in spring drafts.

Rasmussen allowed four hits, walked one and struck out two. The 30-year-old right-hander was lifted after three innings and 76 pitches. Rasmussen wasn’t efficient with his pitches and wouldn’t have lasted much longer in the game even without the Rays managing his end-of-season workload. He has a 2.80 ERA and 124/35 K/BB ratio in 147 2/3 innings this year. Rasmussen is lined up to face the Orioles on the road next week.

Rasmussen gave up only four hits, including a solo homer to rookie Moisés Ballesteros in addition to a two-run double to Dansby Swanson. He struck out five and handed out three free passes. The 30-year-old righty was lifted after just 80 pitches (50 strikes) as Tampa Bay continues to put a strict governor on his late-season workload. He’ll face the division-leading Blue Jays on Thursday his next time out.

Ramussen left the game with a 1-0 lead over throwing 82 pitches in five innings, but the Rays’ bullpen quickly gave the lead up in the sixth. Ramussen has been tremendous this season and is still worth using next week against the Cubs, but he’s unlikely to be pushed much deeper than 80 pitches in that one either.

Rasmussen struck out two batters on the evening and didn’t walk a batter. All of the scoring done against him came via the long ball, as Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodriguez and Jorge Polanco each clubbed solo homers in the fourth inning. The 30-year-old right-hander got just six whiffs on 72 pitches on the night, registering a CSW of 25 percent. He’ll carry an outstanding 2.74 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and a 115/28 K/BB ratio (134 2/3 innings) into Sunday’s matchup against the Guardians.

Rasmussen left with a 3-2 lead after 85 pitches, but that wound up being blown in the ninth. Rasmussen has completed six innings in four straight outings. The Rays are trying to limit his workload, but he’s just been so efficient that he keeps making it through six anyway; he hasn’t thrown more than 92 pitches in a start this season and he’s totaled just 331, an average of 83 pitches, during this four-start run. He’ll face the Mariners at home next week.

Rasmussen was dialed in here. The only runs he gave up were via solo home runs to Trent Grisham and Austin Wells while the Yankees struggled to sustain any rallies otherwise. Both of those homers came on some badly missed pitches too. First, a cutter that never cut which Grisham barely yanked over the right field fence and then a hanging curveball that Wells crushed. After some workload concerns earlier this summer, Rasmussen has now completed six innings in three consecutive starts and looks to be as sharp as ever. He’s scheduled to face the Guardians on the road next time out.

Rasmussen allowed only three hits, and he didn’t walk anyone while striking out five. The 30-year-old gave up his first earned run of the season when he allowed a homer to Lawrence Butler, and this makes eight straight appearances where Rasmussen hasn’t allowed more than two runs. Some of those appearances are as a reliever, but still, an impressive run that pushes his record to 10-5 and lowers his ERA to 2.60. His next start hasn’t been announced yet, but likely comes against the Cardinals next week.

Rasmussen was excellent, but he doesn’t get a win because Cal Raleigh hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning to make this a hard luck no-decision. The 30-year-old hasn’t given up a run in his last two outings, and his ERA has fallen to an excellent 2.66 over 111 2/3 innings in the process. Rasmussen should absolutely be in fantasy lineups for his scheduled start against the A’s next week.

Rasmussen authored an impressive performance on Saturday afternoon at hitter-friendly George M. Steinbrenner Field, shutting down Los Angeles’ Death Star of a lineup into the sixth inning. He recorded eight strikeouts, didn’t hand out a free pass and scattered four hits. He’ll carry a sparkling 2.81 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 93/25 K/BB ratio across 105 2/3 innings (22 starts) into a road tilt on Friday against the Mariners.