Rays star Drew Rasmussen isn’t phased by ALCS Game 5 start vs. Rays

October 18, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

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The Tampa Bay Rays are handing the ball to Drew Rasmussen with the American League Championship Series knotted at two games apiece, and the right-hander is not treating Sunday’s Game 5 like anything out of the ordinary.

Speaking ahead of his start against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field, Rasmussen was asked about pitching in a pivotal swing game with a chance to send the Rays home with a 3-2 series lead. His answer was simple.

“In every single game, I try and do my best. It’s still just baseball,” Rasmussen said. “I think that’s led to a couple of successful outings up to this point.”

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#Rays Drew Rasmussen on pitching in Game 5, a crucial swing game in the ALCS, with the chance to bring this series home up 3-2.
“It’s still just baseball.” pic.twitter.com/5w7Nnvp8XM
— Ryan Bass (@Ry_Bass) October 18, 2026

Rasmussen added that his approach comes down to keeping the moment in perspective. “Just try and not make it anything bigger than what it actually is, right? It’s you, it’s preparation, and it’s execution,” he said. “Those are really the only things I’m concerned with.”

That steady mindset has served him well all season. Rasmussen went 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP as Tampa Bay’s ace. He was the team’s Opening Day starter, earned his second straight All-Star nod and was named AL Pitcher of the Month for June after posting a 0.82 ERA over five starts.

He also gave the Rays a quality outing in Game 1 of this series. Rasmussen held Cleveland to two runs over six-plus innings with seven strikeouts, though both runs came on homers from Chase DeLauter and Patrick Bailey. The Guardians rallied late against the bullpen for a 7-3 win, leaving Rasmussen with a no-decision.

The series has gone back and forth since. Tampa Bay took Game 2 3-1, Cleveland won Game 3 3-2, and the Rays evened things with a 7-3 win in Game 4 on Saturday night after a rain postponement pushed the game back a day.

That makes Sunday’s matchup a true swing game. The winner will be one victory away from the World Series, with the series shifting back to Tropicana Field for Game 6 on Monday and a potential Game 7.

First pitch is set for 5:08 p.m. ET. The winner of the series will face the Milwaukee Brewers, who swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.

Rasmussen will get his chance to put the Rays on the doorstep.

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