Tampa Bay President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander has stated the team plans to keep pitcher Drew Rasmussen. Neander told reporters on Tuesday that the club intends to have Rasmussen anchor their rotation next year. This marks a clear change from the usual Rays strategy of trading star players before their contracts end. The team exercised his $20 million option and said they want him to stay.
Rasmussen is expected to finish in the top 10 of Cy Young voting for a second straight season. He is entering his age-31 campaign and could command a massive salary if he stays healthy. The Rays usually trade players in this spot to get value before they leave for free agency. However, Neander said the team is “thinking about ‘Ras’ anchoring our rotation” to make the club better for 2027.
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Tampa Bay has a long history of moving its best talent. They traded Tyler Glasnow to the Dodgers when he was set to make $25 million in his final year. That deal happened after the team lost Shane McClanahan to elbow surgery and faced major issues with Wander Franco. Those events changed their outlook on the 2024 season. Neander noted that those specific late-season problems made the Glasnow trade sensible at the time.
This year looks different. The Rays have made their third run to the American League title in club history. They have not missed the playoffs for the last two seasons. Neander said it is hard to think they will get closer to a championship if Rasmussen is not part of the team. He told reporters that every intention right now is to keep the pitcher.
Rasmussen is poised to earn the highest salary in the franchise’s history for a player. If he stays healthy for a third straight season, he will be lined up for a huge average annual value after 2027. The Rays probably will not extend him to a long-term deal. Should he depart as a free agent, they probably anticipate receiving compensation. This could come via a qualifying offer or a new rule in the next collective bargaining agreement.
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The decision to keep Rasmussen affects how the team handles other pitchers. The Rays also have news on Edwin Uceta, a reliever who underwent shoulder surgery last month. Neander revealed that Uceta will miss at least the first couple of months of the 2027 season. Uceta was expected to be a key setup man, but he has been slowed by inflammation and a subscapularis strain.
Uceta posted a 2.98 ERA over 117 innings in 2024 and 2025. He fanned one-third of his opponents and kept walks low. In 2024, he recorded five saves and seven holds, followed by 21 holds during 2025. With his absence extending well into the upcoming season, the Rays might choose to non-tender him. His projected salary is $1.525 million, which is not a heavy burden, but keeping him takes a roster spot during a potential lockout.
MLB Trade Rumors placed Rasmussen as the number two trade candidate last week. They noted the high demand the Rays would receive for such a talented pitcher. Neander differentiated Rasmussen’s situation from Glasnow by pointing out that Rasmussen has stayed healthy in consecutive seasons. He has cemented himself among the top 10 to 15 pitchers in the sport.
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The Rays have operated with a tight budget for years. Trading a top pitcher is their standard way to get money back. Keeping Rasmussen suggests they believe the window to win is open right now.
The Rays could still trade Rasmussen if a midseason offer becomes too good to pass up. Neander did not speak in absolutes about the future. He said the current plan is to keep him.
