World Series Game 2: Rays’ Drew Rasmussen faces former Brewers in Milwaukee

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

American League champion Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen is set to start Game 2 of the 2026 World Series on Saturday night at American Family Field, where he will face the franchise he previously played for: the Milwaukee Brewers. The matchup pairs Rasmussen’s current role with his earlier MLB chapter in Milwaukee, where he debuted after being selected by the Brewers in 2018.

Rasmussen’s connection to Milwaukee is rooted in the Brewers’ decision to draft him in the sixth round of the 2018 MLB Draft despite a medical history that included two Tommy John surgeries. He reached the majors with the Brewers two years later, and the Rays will now ask him to protect a World Series start against the organization that helped launch his career.

The 2026 World Series Game 2 assignment comes after a longer path for Rasmussen that began with another organization. The source notes that Tampa Bay originally drafted Rasmussen in the 2017 MLB Draft, selecting him 31st overall out of Oregon State, but he could not sign due to an elbow issue that eventually led to his second Tommy John surgery. He then returned to college before joining the Brewers.

Rasmussen’s return to the Rays followed a major offseason-type trade in the early 2020s. On May 21, 2021, Tampa Bay dealt shortstop Willy Adames and right-hander Trevor Richards to Milwaukee for reliever J.P. Feyereisen and Rasmussen. The Rays now bring him back to American Family Field as an established starting pitcher rather than a bullpen contributor.

At the time of the trade, Rasmussen was pitching out of Milwaukee’s bullpen with what the source describes as an essentially two-pitch mix: a sinker and a slider. Over the ensuing years, the Rays’ pitching development has been central to his transformation into a top-end starter, with Rasmussen building an expanding repertoire under pitching coach Kyle Snyder.

Rasmussen is also entering this postseason stage with a growing personal stake in Tampa Bay. The source says Rasmussen and his wife, Stevie, have started a family in the Rays organization, naming their son Rhett and their daughter Miller. It also highlights that his ties to the Brewers remain meaningful to him as he competes against them on the sport’s biggest stage.

While the Rays have reached the World Series, the starting rotation decision for Game 1 differed from the one Rasmussen will fill for Game 2. The Rays announced Thursday that Nick Martinez would start Game 1, and the source attributes motivation for that choice to ensuring Rasmussen could pitch on five days’ rest rather than four, aligning with how Tampa Bay has managed him through the season.

Rays manager Kevin Cash is quoted in connection with that planning, saying, “We want him to be at full strength and feeling really good when he gets on the mound,” and adding that their information indicates the extra day “plays a huge benefit.” The source frames the Rays’ caution as part of a broader effort to protect Rasmussen’s health.

That caution is tied to Rasmussen’s injury history and recent workload. The source states he has undergone three major elbow surgeries, including an internal brace procedure that cut short his 2023 season and ultimately sent him back to the bullpen when he returned in late 2024. It also notes that Rasmussen has exceeded his career-high workload, pitching 172 innings across 30 regular-season starts and an additional 21 innings in three postseason outings.

For Game 2, Rasmussen is expected to have the recovery time Tampa Bay has prioritized, with the start designed to keep him at the level of effectiveness the Rays have emphasized throughout the postseason. The source also indicates that the extra day supports Tampa Bay’s goal of getting Rasmussen “full strength” when he’s on the mound.

The home-field familiarity is another factor that could influence how Rasmussen handles his surroundings. The source reports that Rasmussen made his second start of the season at American Family Field, holding the Brewers to two runs (one earned) while striking out eight over five innings. It adds that he has thrown more innings in this ballpark than anywhere else in the majors aside from other specific stadiums, noting comparisons to Tropicana Field, George M. Steinbrenner Field, Yankee Stadium and Rogers Centre.

Although Rasmussen will be wearing a Rays uniform, the source underscores that he will face a highly energized Milwaukee crowd. It includes Rasmussen’s public comments ahead of the game, with him describing Game 2 as “a really unique, really cool matchup,” and saying, “It’s going to be an electric environment, I can guarantee you that,” adding that he expects the people of Wisconsin to be excited for what’s at stake.

Game 2’s opponent makes the Rays’ World Series push especially personal for Rasmussen, who began his Brewers run after the 2018 draft. The source notes that he still shares connections with Brewers players, coaches, staff, and fanbase members from his time in Milwaukee, while also stressing that the Rays and Brewers are now competing for a championship moment that belongs to neither side’s past.

With Nick Martinez slated for Game 1, Tampa Bay’s decision to slot Rasmussen into Game 2 on five days’ rest positions him as a key piece of the Rays’ postseason rotation. For the Brewers, stopping their former starter in his return trip is part of an effort toward what the source characterizes as the franchise’s first World Series championship.

Game 2 takes place Saturday night at American Family Field as Rasmussen looks to help the Rays continue their pursuit of the World Series, while also attempting to prevent the Brewers from reaching the greatest milestone in their history. The matchup blends present-tense World Series stakes with the specific, Milwaukee-rooted experience Rasmussen brings to the mound.

Rays-Brewers Game 2 will determine whether Tampa Bay can turn its series momentum into a deeper lead—or whether Milwaukee can capitalize on the home environment and its familiarity with Rasmussen’s competitive background. For readers following the series, the central practical storyline is the Rays’ health-management strategy around Rasmussen’s rest, paired with his return to the ballpark where he has already shown he can limit Milwaukee damage on the way to a World Series start.