Rays' Drew Rasmussen: Sharp in first rehab outing

Rasmussen (elbow) recorded a strikeout as part of a 1-2-3 first inning in his rehab start Sunday with Triple-A Durham.

Per Aram Leighton of JustBaseball.com, Rasmussen touched 99 miles per hour with his fastball and spotted 11 of his 15 pitches for strikes in the rehab outing, his first competitive action at any level since he underwent an internal brace procedure on his right elbow last July. Though the right-hander is expected to prepare for a starting role with the big club heading into the 2025 season, the Rays will ease him back from elbow surgery as a multi-inning reliever in 2024. Rasmussen will likely make at least a few more appearances in the minors before the Rays bring him back from the 60-day injured list, likely in early-to-mid August.