ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- The American League champion Tampa Bay Rays exercised their $20 million option Saturday on ace pitcher Drew Rasmussen.
Tampa Bay picked up the 2027 club option on Rasmussen's contract rather than pay him a $500,000 buyout. The two-time All-Star can become a free agent after next season.
Rasmussen earned a $5.5 million salary this year as part of a two-year, $8.5 million deal he and the Rays agreed to in January 2025 to avoid arbitration. But the 2027 option price increased from $8 million to $20 million because Rasmussen remained healthy throughout the 2026 season and made at least 28 starts, making the contract worth $28 million over three seasons.