Tampa Bay Rays vs Minnesota Twins Picks and Predictions May 28th 2025

Drew Rasmussen, Rays Pursue Series Victory Over Twins

The Tampa Bay Rays will send right-hander Drew Rasmussen to the mound on Wednesday as they look to clinch their three-game series against the surging Minnesota Twins.

Rasmussen is hitting his stride after a rocky start to the season, showing increasing endurance on the mound following his third major elbow surgery. He’s now gone six full innings in back-to-back starts, both of which were scoreless efforts, including his most recent outing against the Toronto Blue Jays where he threw 76 efficient pitches.

“I think that’s kind of what the key is going to be, right? When we’re talking about going deeper into ballgames, it’ll be efficiency-driven,” Rasmussen said. “Helping (the bullpen) out and being efficient, it’s been pretty nice these last couple outings.”

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Rasmussen Finding His Form

Rasmussen (3-4, 2.60 ERA) has logged four starts this year with five or more shutout innings, underlining his recent dominance. However, history hasn’t been kind to him against the Twins, against whom he holds a 0-1 record with a 6.75 ERA in four career appearances. He’ll need to tread carefully around the likes of Kody Clemens — riding an eight-game hitting streak — and Carlos Correa, who has gone 4-for-8 with a homer in the series.

The Rays, who had a six-game win streak snapped in Tuesday’s 4-2 loss, will be aiming to bounce back with their ace leading the charge.

Lopez Looks to Cool Off Tampa Bay

The Twins will counter with Pablo Lopez (4-2, 2.31 ERA), who has been excellent on the road, posting a 1.55 ERA and limiting opposing hitters to a .194 average. Lopez turned in another solid performance last week, allowing just one run over 5 2/3 innings against the Royals, though he didn’t factor into the decision.

Lopez’s track record against Tampa Bay is less impressive, sitting at 2-3 with a 4.05 ERA over eight career starts. The Rays will be looking for production from Brandon Lowe — who is riding a 10-game hitting streak with three homers — and Jonathan Aranda, who has already driven in four runs in this series.

Twins Battling Injury Concerns

Minnesota’s outfield remains thin with Byron Buxton on the concussion IL and Harrison Bader nursing a finger injury sustained in Sunday’s extra-innings matchup against Kansas City.

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“When I let go of the bat, for whatever reason, the bat broke on my ring finger,” Bader explained. “I’m trying to swing through it, but it just gets to a point where you’re just not effective, obviously, in a major league game.”

In Bader’s absence, DaShawn Keirsey Jr. has taken over duties in center field, filling a crucial defensive gap for the Twins.

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With both starters pitching well and key hitters heating up on both sides, the series finale sets up to be a tightly contested affair. Tampa Bay will hope Rasmussen’s resurgence holds steady, while Minnesota looks to continue its red-hot stretch despite roster setbacks.