Drew Rasmussen isn’t the first name fans toss into offseason trade boards, but he might end up mattering just as much. On MLB Network Radio’s “Power Alley,” former Mets GM Jim Duquette called the Tampa Bay Rays right-hander a “darkhorse” candidate this winter, a signal that rival clubs believe he’s available at the right price.
Rasmussen was one of the Rays’ most valuable pitchers when healthy in 2025. He posted a 2.76 ERA across 150 innings, held hitters to a .209 average and carried a 1.02 WHIP — numbers that look even stronger when paired with his underlying metrics. His fastball averaged around 97 mph, and his cutter, sweeper and sinker combination kept his expected metrics in the upper third of the league, according to Baseball Savant.
FanGraphs still grades him as a mid-rotation arm with above-average command and elite weak-contact rates. His 2025 chase rate and xwOBA both aligned with his 2022–23 peak, suggesting the stuff fully returned after multiple elbow surgeries.
His contract makes him even more attractive. Rasmussen is signed through 2026 on a two-year, $8.5 million deal with an 2027 option that can grow based on workload. For a mid-rotation starter with top-end stretches, that is the exact profile clubs look for when prices rise on frontline pitching.
But injury risk is part of the evaluation. Rasmussen has undergone three elbow procedures, including two Tommy John surgeries and a 2023 internal brace operation. Between 2023 and 2024 he logged only 70 big-league innings while rehabbing. The Rays managed his workload carefully, and teams will factor in both his recent health and his career durability.
The Rays have depth, they have budget limits, and their model rewards moving pitchers a year early rather than a year late. For clubs looking for an arm below the true-ace tier like the Dodgers, Cubs, Orioles, Mariners, and Yankees, Rasmussen fits nearly every competitive and financial box.
If Tampa Bay chooses to listen, Rasmussen could become one of the most efficient rotation upgrades of the winter.