Drew Rasmussen Starts Rays' Game 5 on Short Rest

Drew Rasmussen is taking the ball with the Rays' season on the line. Tampa Bay announced Wednesday afternoon that its ace will start World Series Game 5 against the Brewers at Tropicana Field on three days' rest, four days after he started Game 2 in Milwaukee. It is his first time pitching on short rest since he worked as a multi-inning reliever and opener down the stretch in 2024.

The stakes could not be bigger. Milwaukee leads the series 3-1 and is one win from a title, and the Rays only stayed alive because of Tuesday's 12-inning, 4-3 walk-off win. No team in World Series history has come back from down 3-0, and of the four previous teams that forced a Game 5 after falling into that hole, none has ever made it to Game 6.

How the Rays Got Here

This was not the plan. Nick Martinez looked lined up for Game 5, but Tampa Bay needed him for two innings out of the bullpen in Game 4. Freddy Peralta pitched Game 3 on Monday and Griffin Jax started Tuesday, so the Rays did not have a fully rested starter left. Manager Kevin Cash said pitching coach Kyle Snyder floated the short-rest idea to Rasmussen before Game 4, and both Rasmussen and Martinez gave a thumbs-up.

"Called Ras right after he'd left the ballpark, and he was 100% on board wanting the ball," Cash said.

Cash getting that phone call answered at 1 a.m. tells you everything about how badly this clubhouse wants a trip back to Milwaukee.

The Numbers Behind the Gamble

Rasmussen went 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA in the regular season and has been the steady arm of this Rays staff all year. Game 2 was not his night, though. He threw 89 pitches over 3 2/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits, and the Brewers rallied for a 5-4 win. Tampa Bay has also gone out of its way all season to give him extra rest between starts because of his injury history.

The short-rest sample is small and not pretty. In four career starts on three days' rest, he has allowed five earned runs on nine hits in seven innings. Rasmussen made it clear he wanted another shot anyway. "I'm not overly pleased with how things went in Milwaukee the other day for me myself," he said before Game 4.

A pitcher asking for the ball after a rough outing is exactly the energy a team down 3-1 needs on the mound.

The Miz Is Waiting

Rasmussen gets no easy matchup. Milwaukee starts Jacob Misiorowski on four days' rest. The likely National League Cy Young winner led the majors in ERA, strikeouts and WHIP during the regular season. He allowed one run in five innings in Game 1, and his first pitch of that night was the fastest ever thrown in the Fall Classic.

Behind Rasmussen, the Rays bullpen is stretched. Cole Sulser, Steven Matz and Garrett Cleavinger did not pitch Tuesday, while Bryan Baker and Kevin Kelly are likely available. Ian Seymour threw 32 pitches in Game 4, and Martinez is available in relief after his two innings.

Every inning Rasmussen can soak up is one fewer inning Cash has to cover with tired arms against a lineup that needs just one more win.

Smacktok Pick Lean

Lean lower on Rasmussen's outs recorded. He is on three days' rest for the first time since 2024, he lasted only 3 2/3 innings on 89 pitches in Game 2, and Cash said he will "take the ball and give us what he can give us." With Sulser, Matz and Cleavinger rested, expect the Rays to go to the bullpen early rather than let him work deep.