Rays Keep Drew Rasmussen for 2027 With $20 Million Club Option

The Tampa Bay Rays exercised Drew Rasmussen’s $20 million club option for 2027 on Saturday, retaining their leading starter after an American League championship season. The decision keeps him under contract through next season rather than sending him into free agency this winter.

Field Level Media reported that Tampa Bay chose the option over a $500,000 buyout. Rasmussen’s option began at $8 million when he signed his January 2025 extension, with performance and health escalators allowing the price to reach $20 million.

The exercise is an existing contract decision rather than a new multiyear extension. Under MLB’s club-option definition, the team holds the choice to retain the player for the specified additional season.

Rasmussen’s 2026 statistical record shows why that choice matters. He finished 16–5 with a 2.67 ERA, making 30 starts and throwing 172 innings. He struck out 174 batters and allowed 32 walks. Those totals produce approximately 5.44 strikeouts for every walk, calculated by dividing his strikeouts by his walks.

His 0.913 WHIP means he allowed fewer than one hit or walk per inning on average. That statistic counts those two ways of reaching base; it does not include every possible baserunner. ERA measures a pitcher’s earned runs allowed for every nine innings. Over 172 innings, the combination of limiting traffic and recording strikeouts gave Tampa Bay a substantial foundation for its rotation.

The postseason added another 28⅔ innings to his workload. In the October 28 World Series finale, his game log records four innings, two hits, one earned run, no walks and four strikeouts against Milwaukee. He threw 48 pitches, including 36 strikes, before leaving a game the Brewers won 4–1.

For the Rays, the immediate outcome is certainty over one rotation position. Rasmussen remains available for 2027 while the club makes its other offseason roster decisions.