Rays' Drew Rasmussen takes next step by working 4 innings

PORT CHARLOTTE — The step up from the two innings Drew Rasmussen pitched in a March 3 exhibition game to the three he threw during live batting practice March 9 on a backfield seemed like a big one.

Especially since he hadn’t gone beyond two since returning from the May 2023 elbow injury that led to his third surgery and sidelined him until August 2024.

But throwing four innings (and 50-plus pitches) during Saturday’s 7-7 tie with the Yankees was actually the bigger test.

“It felt pretty good,” Rasmussen said. “It was more than what I remember. But you’ve got to kind of do it. Checking that box off is kind of how you get in shape to where you to get to the point where four doesn’t seem like that tall of a task.”

Rasmussen allowed five hits — only two hard — and three runs but struck out six and didn’t walk any while throwing 54 pitches.

“Pretty solid outing on most fronts,” he said. “It is a steppingstone. I know some guys kind of think that step from two to three innings is kind of a big one. I kind of think that’s three to four for me. And so, to kind of get over that hurdle (Saturday), it’s a really good spot to be right now moving forward.”

The Rays are going to be cautious with Rasmussen, especially early in the season, as he makes his preferred return to the rotation after working in relief last season. He said the plan for now is to be able to get into the fifth inning, with the idea of taking a regular turn in the rotation.

Manager Kevin Cash said he liked what Rasmussen did overall, especially how he reacted after the Yankees got a run off him in the second and two in the third.

“Look, four innings is something he hasn’t touched in a while, so happy with that,” Cash said. “He was efficient. They came out and made some adjustments and started swinging the bat really early. He’s probably the guy to do that on (because) he’s going to fill up the strike zone.

“But what I’m impressed with (is) it doesn’t get him out of the zone. He keeps doing his thing. He had really good stuff.‘’

Taj throws well, too

Taj Bradley also got in some good work on a back field Saturday, throwing 76 pitches over 4 ⅔ innings of live batting practice to a group that included top prospect Carson Williams, Logan Driscoll, Jake Mangum and Bob Seymour.

Bradley, projected as a key member of the rotation, worked specifically on his changeup, which was a major weapon during his nine-start, June-July run last season, when he went 5-1 with an 0.82 ERA.

“Just getting my changeup back to where it was last year during the nine(-start) stint,” he said. “After that, it got a little shaky and stuff like that, and then even last outing it was a little shaky not throwing it for strikes. So, working on some physical cues to have it honed down by (the start of the) season.”

Bradley was pleased to get a fair amount of swing-and-miss but also noted his teammates got some solid hits and said he enjoyed the repartee. He also liked working with, and talking to, new veteran catcher Danny Jansen during the session.

Having missed the first six weeks of last season after straining a pec muscle while warming up for a mid-March exhibition, Bradley, 23, said he has a simple goal for wrapping up camp: “If I can walk away healthy, that’s the biggest factor in spring training.”

Miscellany

Principal owner Stuart Sternberg was at the game and went on the team TV broadcast with Dewayne Staats. When asked about “the stadium situation,” rather than address the plan for the new stadium in St. Petersburg the Rays said Thursday they were halting, Sternberg spoke about the team’s 2025 interim home at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. He called it “a great place to watch baseball” said it was “clean” and “easy to get to.” ... Catching prospect Dominic Keegan, sidelined most of camp with a sore right elbow, has resumed throwing but seems unlikely to be ready for the start of the Triple-A season. Driscoll, the other projected Triple-A catcher, is likely to resume playing in games soon, having been sidelined since Feb. 25 with a sore right ankle.

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Rays' Drew Rasmussen takes next step by working 4 innings

Taj throws well, too

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