Rays pick up $20M option on ace pitcher Drew Rasmussen - ESPN

posted by u/jvandy59 · 2026-11-01 01:38 UTC

(Link/image post, original: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/50342824/rays-pick-20m-option-ace-pitcher-drew-rasmussen）

## Top comments

1. u/AutoModerator · 2026-11-01 01:38 UTC

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2. u/masterninjab52 · 2026-11-01 01:45 UTC

Good move. Sometimes clubs and players try to game the system too much. In this case, you can see that they want to run it back and get that ring.

3. u/underwear11 · 2026-11-01 13:06 UTC

Smart move but I believe Martinez also has a $20M option, Peralta is a FA and they have a bunch of arb players. My guess is it won't be completely run back because that would be a lot of payroll for the Rays. Luckily for them, a lot of their core doesn't hit arb until 2028.

4. u/chalupa_lover · 2026-11-01 15:14 UTC

Martinez is gone for sure. I think they’re going to try to be competitive in the Peralta sweepstakes.

5. u/Dragonroar2001 · 2026-11-01 15:23 UTC

It's TB. They'll never be the high bidder, but they will bring in a bunch of players nobody's ever heard of and turn them into a good baseball team. I would be shocked if Peralta stays there, especially in a weak FA market when everyone wants more pitching.

6. u/chalupa_lover · 2026-11-01 15:29 UTC

Depends on a lot. This is the first offseason with a new ownership group. Will they spend? Also, is Freddy looking for purely the biggest dollar amount or somewhere he can actually pitch well? Wouldn’t be shocked if he chose us as long as the offer is fairly close. No state income tax also helps. And what about the salary floor? If we’re forced to spend, what better way than a pitcher that as already proven to be a stud with us?

7. u/darkhorse21980 · 2026-11-01 16:39 UTC

Mutual option on Martinez, and he declined it. I bet he could still resign though.

8. u/SeaworthinessSome454 · 2026-11-01 17:06 UTC

The rays never run it back and they rarely find the same level of success in back to back seasons. They’ll almost certainly take a step back unless they increase their payroll a decent bit

9. u/Suspicious_Hand_2194 · 2026-11-01 02:56 UTC

Drew’s great, so it’s nice to see them bring him back

10. u/DreadPirateDumbo · 2026-11-01 06:10 UTC

He deserves more than he's being paid.

11. u/Intelligent-Ad5916 · 2026-11-01 15:19 UTC

that’s the downside of agreeing to options early to secure a certain amount. Free agency is a gamble but it can pay off 10 fold the amount others get.

12. u/beauxlieve · 2026-11-01 06:50 UTC

Hell yeah

13. u/chicubbies4ever · 2026-11-01 12:12 UTC

I’m fairly certain they’re only doing this to trade him. $20 million is 80% more than their highest paid player last year and around 22% of their entire 2026 payroll. With the way Tampa operates, they’re not going to be willing to pay that, they can however get some decent assets back for him.

14. u/LilNello1 · 2026-11-01 16:19 UTC

Great move

15. u/darkhorse21980 · 2026-11-01 16:39 UTC

I know what our MO has been: Pick up options and trade. That said, I hope the new ownership invests in the roster to get us over the hump.