Drew Rasmussen flew to Pittsburgh on Friday to rejoin the Tampa Bay Rays at PNC Park, days after bringing his newborn daughter home. The pitcher is scheduled to start against Paul Skenes on Saturday. Rasmussen had navigated a challenging period following his daughter's birth on April 7.
PITTSBURGH -- Drew Rasmussen and his wife, Stevie, welcomed their daughter, Miller Drew, home on Thursday night after a stressful 10 days. Rasmussen spoke for the first time since the birth, saying, “Everyone's good right now. So, we're in a good spot right now.” He joined the Rays ahead of his start against National League Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes on Saturday afternoon at PNC Park. Manager Kevin Cash praised Rasmussen's professionalism, noting, “I'm happy that the baby's home, and I'm really happy that Drew's here -- and excited to see him pitch.” Cash added that Rasmussen is trending toward a normal routine. Rasmussen was set to pitch against the Cubs on April 7 when Stevie went into labor during a doctor's appointment. She even called Rays athletic trainer Joe Benge to ask if Rasmussen could still pitch that night. “I mean, you want to talk about a team player? She was thinking about letting me pitch and not telling me until after I was done,” Rasmussen said. The Rays arranged a bullpen game instead, and Miller was born later that evening. After three days on the paternity list and one on the family medical emergency list, Rasmussen made a strong return against the Yankees last Sunday at Tropicana Field. He allowed one hit and struck out seven over six innings. “Stevie and I ultimately decided maybe a little bit of normalcy would be nice,” he explained. Despite mental fatigue and limited preparation, Rasmussen relied on experience and catcher Hunter Feduccia. With Miller now home alongside son Rhett, Rasmussen plans to stay with the team moving forward.
