Rays' Neander has 'every intention' of Rasmussen anchoring 2027 rotation

Option exercised at $20M; he went 16-5, 2.67 ERA in 2026

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 48m1 min read

Tampa Bay RaysMLB

What happened: Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said the club has "every intention" of Drew Rasmussen anchoring Tampa Bay's 2027 rotation, per Marc Topkins of the Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay already exercised the right-hander's $20 million option for next season.

Why it matters: Rasmussen sits near the top of offseason trade-candidate lists, and the Rays have a record of moving prized assets, Randy Arozarena among them. ESPN's Jeff Passan noted the Rasmussen salary alone puts the Rays above their 2026 payroll. The Mets are looking for rotation help around Nolan McLean and Christian Scott, with Tarik Skubal and Michael King also on their radar.

By the numbers: Rasmussen, 31, went 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA in 2026 and made a second straight All-Star team. In five postseason starts he posted a 2.20 ERA, allowing one run or fewer in three of them, including a near no-hitter against the Yankees in the ALDS, as Tampa Bay won the AL pennant.

What to watch: Whether another club makes an offer that changes Tampa Bay's stance as the offseason market develops.

Sources

Yahoo MLB Nov 03, 2026 · 18:04 UTC

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Rays' Neander has 'every intention' of Rasmussen anchoring 2027 rotation

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