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This Drew Rasmussen trade package is expensive but worth it for NY Mets

The Mets should put together a trade package for Drew Rasmussen in the offseason.
ByPat Ragazzo
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Oct 12, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) reacts at the end of the fourth inning in game one of the ALCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen (57) reacts at the end of the fourth inning in game one of the ALCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While the expectation is that the New York Mets will be heavily in on generational ace starter Tarik Skubal in free agency, the reality is that he's going to be difficult and expensive to land. For that, the Mets could instead explore the trade market in order to upgrade their starting rotation, which should be a top priority this offseason.

The Mets should look into creating a trade package to acquire Tampa Bay Rays ace Drew Rasmussen. The right-hander is only under club control for one more season and the Rays could try to ship him out for prospects with longer term potential in the winter.

Assuming Rasmussen becomes available via trade this offseason, the Mets should be all over him and Tampa Bay. Rasmussen has a $20 million club option, which is a bargain for a frontline starting pitcher at this point in time.

Rasmussen will be entering his age 32 season and is coming off back-to-back All-Star campaigns with the Rays. During this past regular season, Rasmussen went 16-5 with a 2.67 ERA, 159 ERA+, 0.91 WHIP, 2.82 FIP, 174 strikeouts and a 4.7 bWAR. He only issued 1.7 walks per nine innings and tossed 172 innings in 30 starts. The righty has a 1.29 ERA in two postseason starts this year as well.

What the Mets could give up for Drew Rasmussen

So, what would the Mets have to give up for one year of Rasmussen? That's the burning question as the Rays are going to want a premium for their top starter and the Mets won't want to give up too much for a one year rental arm.

The likelihood is that the Mets will have to overpay to get Rasmussen in a trade with the Rays. But they should consider it given how Rasmussen has performed the last two seasons and the boost he could provide to the rotation in Queens.

With that being said, a trade package of young starter Jonah Tong and third baseman Jacob Reimer, could potentially get a deal done. Tong is a hurler who thrives on his fastball-changeup combination, and the Rays have their pitchers throw the most changeups in baseball. Tong had an up-and-down campaign in 2026, but led the minors with a 1.43 ERA and 179 strikeouts the year before. He's still just 23-years-old.

As for Reimer, he has shown flashes of potential and power in the minor leagues, but the Mets don't really have a position for him in the majors. Reimer is currently the Mets' No. 6 ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He took a bit of a step back in 2026, but the season before he broke out between High-A and Double-A ball. In 122 games in 2025, Reimer hit .282/.379/.491 with a .870 OPS, 17 home runs, 77 RBI and 15 stolen bases. This type of right-handed pop is something the Rays could certainly work with.

The Mets would be taking a risk by parting with Tong and Reimer at this stage for a starting pitcher with one year of control. However, they did a similar deal last winter when they shipped top prospects Brandon Sproat and Jett Williams to the Milwaukee Brewers for Freddy Peralta and Tobias Myers. While the Peralta move didn't work out, the Mets should give this strategy another try with Rasmussen. The trade would be expensive for the Mets, but well worth it since they must upgrade the top of the rotation this offseason.

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