The Tampa Bay Rays are a team that many people are going to be keeping an eye on this offseason.

After winning the American League East and the AL Pennant in 2026, the team has solidified itself as one of the best in MLB. With a new ownership group at the helm, it will be interesting to see if the team’s spending habits change at all.

It certainly seems like they will, for the better, based on comments that President of Baseball Operations Erik Neander made regarding their All-Star pitcher, Drew Rasmussen. The team picked up his $20 million option for the 2027 season, which created speculation that he would be traded.

Just days after losing the World Series and having their offseason start, Neander put an end to those rumors. As shared by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times on X, the executive has revealed that the plan is to have Rasmussen anchoring the team’s starting rotation in 2027.

Rays have no plans to trade Drew Rasmussen

That is great news for Rays fans, who won’t have to go through another offseason of wondering whether one of their best players is going to be on the move. It is an annual occurrence, especially because Rasmussen is under team control for only one more season.

He is at the point in his career where, in the past, the Rays would certainly entertain trade offers for him, looking to keep their cycle going. However, Rasmussen looks like he is going to break that cycle and make history in the process.

$20 million may not sound like a lot to pay a player in today’s landscape, especially for some franchises that have multiple players who have reached that threshold. However, Tampa Bay has never had a player on its roster earn $20 million in a season.

Their All-Star pitcher is trending toward being the first if what Neander said is true, and he will be in the team’s starting pitching plans in 2027.

#Rays Neander said they have “every intention” of having Rasmussen anchor their rotation for 2027

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) November 3, 2026

This is a huge step in the right direction for a franchise that has historically been frugal with its spending. Committing that kind of money to a single player shows how serious the new ownership group is about building a sustainable, contending roster.

Rasmussen is a worthy candidate to be the first player in franchise history to earn $20 million in a season. He has been an All-Star in back-to-back seasons, cementing himself as a true ace with his regular season and playoff performances.

It likely won’t be long before another player surpasses that mark, as third baseman Junior Caminero is trending toward some massive annual average earnings himself.