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Drew Rasmussen 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook: Top Ratio Stabilizer with Limited Strikeout Upside
Tampa Bay Rays right-handed pitcher Drew Rasmussen has battled injuries throughout his career, but logged a career-high 150 innings in 2025 and carries serious momentum into 2026. Last summer, Rasmussen posted a strong 2.76 ERA with a dominant 1.02 WHIP. However, he struck out just 127 hitters, at a low 21.7% clip. He showed strong command, allowing walks at a low 6.3% rate and generating a 73rd percentile xERA, suggesting he should continue to produce strong ratios for fantasy. However, given his injury history, the Rays have opted to strictly limit Rasmussen's workload. This past season, he was only able to log more than five innings in eight of his 31 starts. He also never eclipsed the six-inning mark, which does limit his ability to earn consistent quality starts. The 30-year-old relies on three pitches more than 20.0% of the time: his four-seamer, cutter, and sinker. In 2025, all three pitches generated an xwOBA of .307 or lower, but only one posted a whiff rate of above 25.0%. With Shane Baz now in Baltimore and Shane McClanahan (triceps) working his way back from injury, Rasmussen remains locked into the rotation, but his innings limit will hinder his upside. Managers needing a ratio stabilizer should look to target the right-hander at his 167.6 ADP on NFBC (No. 69 overall pitcher off the board). However, managers should aim to draft high-end strikeout pitchers in the early rounds, as Rasmussen is not projected to exceed his career high of 127.
