A Perfect Mother’s Day Weekend For the Rasmussens

Drew and Stevie Rasmussen got to come home to the Pacific Northwest this weekend, and 42 friends and family members got to see Drew pitch for the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night in Seattle in the Rays' 8-2 win. "It was so great. We couldn't have asked for a better night,'' Drew's wife, Stevie, said.

SEATTLE, Wash. — Stevie Rasmussen and her husband Drew, a pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays, are expecting a baby in September, but Stevie couldn't have asked for a better Mother's Day weekend.

Back home in the Pacific Northwest, Drew and Stevie had 42 people on hand in a suite at T-Mobile Park to watch Drew pitch against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday night. Drew is from Spokane, Wash., and Stevie is from the Portland, Ore., area. They met several years ago when both were students at Oregon State, so Drew's lone appearance of the season in Seattle called for a huge turnout.

Their parents were both there, as were several other relatives and a lot of their friends from Oregon State and beyond. It was a terrific night, made even better by the fact that Drew pitched well, allowing just one run in five innings, and getting the win in Tampa Bay's 8-2 victory.

"It was so great,'' Stevie Rasmussen said Sunday. "We couldn't have asked for a better night. Both of our families are from the Pacific Northwest, so it was great to have everyone here. When Drew came up (to the majors) in 2020, there were no fans (because of the COVID-19 pandemic), and he was here last year, but that was kind of short notice. We were able to plan this one out a little bit, and we had a lot of people here.''

Stevie was the star of the night in the suite, too, because after Drew was done pitching, they had a little baby shower for her as well. The couple is expecting a boy in about four months.

"The moms were great, doing all of that. My mother-in law (Kim Rasmussen) and my mom (Jodi Peters), they took care of a lot of it. I was really able to just enjoy the night.''

Stevie said they were all locked in on the game during the first five innings, and she didn't miss a pitch. None of them did.

"We all watched Drew, and we were all excited for every pitch,'' Stevie said. "And we didn't celebrate until he was done.''

Stevie was a freshman at Oregon State when she met Drew, so she's been through it all with him as a baseball player, and that included both of his Tommy John surgeries in 2016 and 2018. And now, here he is, a key piece in the Rays' rotation. He's 3-1 this season, and has been pitching great.

"Yeah, I can totally enjoy every moment now, watching him pitch, because I've seen all the hard work he's had to put in, all those hours of rehab after both Tommy John's,'' she said. That's why a night like tonight is so special, to see him do so well, and have so many people be there to see it.

"It's one day we all get to share. A lot of the guys said it was a day we'll all remember forever. I believe that, I really do.''

The night was great for Drew, too. First and foremost, he helped his team win another game, their sixth in a row. They have 18 wins now, tied for the most in the American League with the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels.

"It was awesome, because we don't get the opportunity to come back here to play all too often throughout the year, so to have all them here in attendance and have the ability to play well in front of them, it is truly a blessing,'' Rasmussen said after the game. 

"One of the cool things about coming home is the people, but it can also be a little bit of a distraction. I tried to do my best to kind of have tunnel vision and do my best to help our team win. I'll go say hello to as many people as I can. I think a little fun tonight will be OK, to take some time and enjoy it with family. We've got an off day in there before my next start, so I'll be fine.''

Everyone was thrilled that Rasmussen was able to enjoy such a happy homecoming. 

"I think he had 40-50 people here, so that's got to be a pretty special night for them, and now he can celebrate it with family,'' Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said. "I don't know how Drew handles that, because he's a pretty regimented in his routine in leading into a start, but I'm sure he appreciated having them all there.''

Rasmussen said Sunday that he visited with several people at the hotel and had ''a great night with them all.'' He's scheduled to pitch again next Friday in St. Petersburg. "It was a great time, and I'm glad I got to share a big win with them. That was really a ton of fun.''

Related stories on Rays baseball

• HAPPY HOMER HOMECOMING (Saturday): Getting the start against the team he grew up rooting for, Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen allowed just one run in five innings and got a ton of run support in the Rays' 8-2 win over the Seattle Mariners. Brandon Lowe hit two early home runs and Manuel Margot, who is on fire, hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to leave no doubt in the Rays' victory. CLICK HERE
• JUST FOR STARTERS: Drew Rasmussen did a great job on his return to Washington state on Saturday night. The Spokane native pitched five innings and allowed just one run for Tampa Bay against the Mariners. Here's our ''Just For Starters'' breakdown of his night, and the cumulative averages for all Rays starters. CLICK HERE
• RAYS SCHEDULE: Here is the complete 2022 Tampa Bay Rays schedule, with dates, gametimes and locations, and all results so far, CLICK HERE

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The fan club

The Rasmussens had 42 people at the game on Saturday night, the one time Tampa Bay pitcher Drew Rasmussen was pitching in the Pacific Northwest this season. (Rasmussen family photo)

Stevie and her parents

Stevie Rasmussen with her parents, Jodi and Bill Peters.

Stevie with Drew's parents

Stevie Rasmussen with her husband Drew's parents, Mark and Kim Rasmussen.

Drew and Stevie Rasmussen

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen and his wife, Stevie.

Selfie with Drew

Drew Rasmussen and friends and family get together for a selfie.

Meeting on the mound

Tampa Bay Rays pitching coach Kyle Snyder (center) talks things over with pitcher Drew Rasmussen and catcher Mike Zunino. (Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)

Drew Rasmussen

Drew Rasmussen is all smiles after getting out of a jam in the third inning on Saturday night in Seattle. (Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)

Drew Rasmussen

Tampa Bay starter Drew Rasmussen allowed only one run in five innings and got the win in the Rays' 8-2 victory on Saturday night in Seattle. It was his third win in three starts, including two against the Mariners, the team he rooted for as a kid in Spokane, Wash. (Lindsey Wasson-USA TODAY Sports)