\u2014 Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) October 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n In his first postseason start this year (Game 1 of the ALDS<\/a> against the Yankees), Rasmussen became the first pitcher in Rays history to complete eight innings in a playoff game, and the first pitcher in MLB history to hold the Yankees hitless beyond six innings in a postseason game. It also made him the only Rays pitcher besides Shane McClanahan to complete seven innings in the postseason in the last 12 years.<\/p>\n The 31-year-old stood in stark contrast on Sunday to opposing starter Parker Messick. Messick needed just two innings to pass the 200-inning mark in his rookie season, and lasted just long enough to do so, laboring through 57 pitches and allowing the only two runs Tampa Bay would need to win. The southpaw had to throw 31 pitches to escape a first inning that included a bases-loaded walk for the first run of the game. By the time he got his fifth out, he\u2019d already allowed five hits and two walks for two earned runs. Rasmussen, meanwhile, stood at 57 pitches thrown after four innings of nearly flawless work.<\/p>\n Even when the Guardians started to build traffic against Rasmussen later in his outing, Rays manager Kevin Cash trusted his starter to work his way out of it in a manner he never has before. Cleveland had five plate appearances with the tying run up at bat against Rasmussen in the sixth and seventh innings. The only time a run scored was off a groundout by Chase DeLauter in the sixth.<\/p>\n Rasmussen has been underrated on the national stage. He owns the fifth-lowest ERA (2.76) among starters since 2021, behind only Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2.61), Paul Skenes (2.62), Shohei Ohtani (2.68) and Chris Sale (2.74). He led the American League this season in WHIP (0.91) and K\/BB (5.44). And though he missed sizable chunks of the 2023 and \u201924 campaigns due to elbow surgery, he\u2019s now completed six consecutive seasons with a sub-3.00 ERA.<\/p>\n Drew Rasmussen is on fire in his last 15 starts including the playoffs! \ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n The Rays starter is 11-0 with a 1.73 ERA in 93.2 IP, 99 K, and 18 BB! \ud83d\udcaa<\/p>\n He now has 2 starts this postseason with 7+ IP and 1 or 0 ER, all other Rays pitchers in their postseason history with such\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/ATsiQGLIQg<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) October 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Tampa Bay will need its other arms to step up to close out the ALCS at home and advance to the World Series. But if the Rays get there, they\u2019ll know who to call on in Game 1 thanks to a pitcher who\u2019s achieved workhorse status on the team that\u2019s perhaps the least likely to produce one.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assets.minutemediacdn.com\/platform\/google_discover_icon.svg\"){kind=icon}
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