Rays' Opening Day starter in elite ERA club alongside Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell

The Tampa Bay Rays are members of what could be the toughest division in baseball, the AL East. 

To navigate a 162-game season against some of the best hitters in baseball, a strong starting rotation is a must. Rays manager Kevin Cash wants to set the tone on day one, appointing right-hander Drew Rasmussen as the Opening Day starter. 

Rasmussen, 30, is one of the more underrated pitchers in baseball, but there's a caveat, writes The Athletic. He's entering his sixth season with the Rays and posted a 2.76 ERA in 150 innings in 2025. 

Rasmussen is in category with Tarik Skubal, former Rays ace Blake Snell 

"Dating back to 2022, only two pitchers in baseball who have logged more than 350 innings have posted a lower ERA than Rasmussen’s 2.78: Tarik Skubal and Blake Snell. Not bad company," The Athletic's Andy McCullough, Will Sammon, and Sahadev Sharma wrote Thursday. 

Rasmussen had two Tommy John Surgeries before becoming a professional, and missed most of 2023 after undergoing an internal brace procedure. His innings total from last year was just the second time in his career to surpass 100 frames. 

"But note the qualifier — Rasmussen threw only 369 1/3 frames during that time period; Skubal, as a reference, threw 585 1/3," The Athletic added. 

The burning question for Cash and the Rays is whether they trust Rasmussen's elbow to maintain good health and match or surpass 150 innings in 2026. 

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