Rays Pick Up Rasmussen's $20M Option After Career Year

The Tampa Bay Rays have exercised Drew Rasmussen's $20 million club option for 2027, locking in their ace after a career year and setting the largest single-season salary in franchise history. The option climbed from an $8 million base through health and innings escalators, a fitting reward for a season in which Rasmussen posted a 2.67 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP across 172 innings. Rasmussen was the linchpin of a Rays rotation that carried the club to the American League pennant, leading the majors' workload conversations with his durability and consistency. The decision keeps the top of Tampa Bay's staff intact heading into an offseason shaped by the expiring collective bargaining agreement, with a widely expected lockout from December 2 freezing signings and trades if no new deal is reached. The move also invites a watch on the trade market: $20 million is a record commitment for a franchise famous for payroll discipline. For now, though, the message is continuity. The Rays also moved on from Nick Martinez, who declined his side of a mutual option to become a free agent, but keeping Rasmussen was the priority, and the club acted before free agents can begin signing with other teams on November 2.