There is no place like near home for Rays’ Drew Rasmussen
SEATTLE — Drew Rasmussen had been to the stadium he still calls Safeco Field many times as a kid, cheering on Seattle greats such as Felix Hernandez, Edgar Martinez and Ichiro Suzuki from seats a couple rows above the home dugout.
He threw off the mound there at least a couple times as a high schooler, coming over from Spokane, where he grew up.
He made his Rays debut in relief there last year, called up from Triple-A a month after being acquired from Milwaukee with J.P. Feyereisen in the Willy Adames trade.
But those previous visits should pale compared to Saturday night, when Rasmussen starts for the Rays with more than 40 relatives and friends on hand.
“It’s a really cool experience to get to come home and play in front of friends, family, a lot of people who have helped me along this journey of getting to where we are today,” he said. “So it is super special. And I’m pretty excited for the opportunity.”
Though it was a scramble last year with only about 16 hours’ notice, Rasmussen said a fair amount of people made it to what was renamed T-Mobile Park, his side coming from Spokane and wife Stevie’s from Portland, each roughly about three hours away.
There will be more showing up Saturday, including all five of his dad’s older brothers — “There’s a lot of Rasmussens in Washington,” he said — plus his mom’s parents, as well as some college friends.
Rasmussen has some wine coming from one of his favorite Willamette Valley vineyards near Portland, though he pointed out he will enjoy it alone since Stevie is pregnant. He would love if someone brings some of his favorite Cougar Gold cheese (sharp white cheddar) made on the Washington State campus near Spokane.
Having pitched very well against the Mariners on April 27 at the Trop, allowing two hits over six shutout innings and striking out nine, Rasmussen is aware of the challenges of facing them again so soon.
“They’re going to be relatively familiar with me and my stuff and how I like to work,” he said. “But on the flip side, there’s a comfort in knowing that I’ve had success against this lineup already once. ... So there are no secrets. They know what I’m trying to do. I have an idea of what they’re trying to do. And so it’s just going to come down to execution.”
Welcome backs for Ji-Man Choi, two coaches
First baseman Ji-Man Choi appears to have quickly gotten over the right elbow irritation (loose bodies) and is headed to Seattle on Saturday with the expectation he will be activated Sunday. … Bullpen coach Stan Boroski and field coordinator/catching coach Paul Hoover, out since April 30 after testing positive for COVID-19, were cleared to return and will rejoin the team Saturday.
Miscellany
Randy Arozarena asked to shift to DH before Friday’s game due to soreness in his left knee, which lingered from Wednesday’s game in Oakland, so Harold Ramirez went to leftfield, making his first outfield start. … Reliever Javy Guerra, who was designated for assignment Sunday, cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Durham. … Second baseman Brandon Lowe was mic’d up for Friday night’s AppleTV+ game. ... The Rays are still working on pitching plans for the series against the Angels that starts Monday, with the possibility Jeffrey Springs will make a spot start.
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