World Series Game 2: Drew Rasmussen’s Workload Meets Brewers’ Bullpen Plan

Milwaukee’s pitching plan could narrow Tampa Bay’s starting edge

The Rays have the more established postseason starter for Game 2, but Milwaukee’s approach to managing its staff makes the matchup less straightforward than the résumés suggest. Tampa Bay and the Brewers are tied 1-1, with first pitch set for 8 p.m. ET in Milwaukee. That puts added weight on a game that could tilt the series: a strong start from Rasmussen would give Tampa Bay a chance to seize control, while an early exit could put the game on terms Milwaukee’s staff is better equipped to manage.

Drew Rasmussen brings a 16-5 record, a 2.67 ERA and a 75 DRA-. Logan Henderson is 11-3 with a 2.47 ERA and an 89 DRA-. The numbers favor neither pitcher uniformly, but Rasmussen’s postseason workload and ability to work deep into games give him the clearest track record. Henderson’s lower ERA is a meaningful counterpoint, though the figures alone don’t settle the question of who’s better prepared for this particular assignment. Tampa Bay has more evidence of Rasmussen succeeding in October; Milwaukee can point to Henderson’s season results and the support behind him.

He has made three postseason starts of at least six innings; Tyler Mahle is the only other starter to reach that mark twice. Rasmussen has also allowed one of the lowest single-season postseason ERAs among pitchers with at least 20 innings this century. That combination of durability and run prevention is a meaningful advantage—though perhaps less decisive in an era when managers rarely ask starters to cover seven innings. The value of a long start isn’t only the outs themselves: it can spare a bullpen and keep the opposing lineup from repeatedly facing fresh arms. Still, a reputation built on postseason endurance matters less if the workload starts to affect command or stuff.

Rasmussen’s command will test Milwaukee’s patience

Rasmussen has thrown 193 innings this season, including the playoffs, well beyond his previous single-season high. That total makes his durability impressive, but it also gives Milwaukee a reason to press him early and make each inning demanding. The Brewers may be able to turn to their staff before that workload catches up with him. Henderson, meanwhile, won’t have to match Rasmussen pitch for pitch: the Brewers have managed their October rotation and relief corps in a way that could keep the game within reach even if their starter exits early. The matchup therefore hinges partly on whether Rasmussen can make his experience count before Milwaukee’s depth takes over.

Rasmussen’s reputation as a strikeout pitcher may owe too much to his eye-catching start in Game 1 of the ALDS. His outings against Cleveland offer a better picture of what makes him difficult: he rarely gives away free passes and keeps hitters guessing with four-seam fastballs, cutters and changeups. That’s a different kind of pressure from overpowering a hitter. He can make batters choose what to protect against, then use another pitch to disrupt the timing of the at-bat.

Even when his stuff isn’t at its sharpest, as in Game 1 of the ALCS, he can change looks effectively. Milwaukee’s hitters will need to work counts without letting his command dictate the at-bat. Here’s the thing: patience only helps if hitters can distinguish a pitch they can drive from one designed to draw a chase. If they wait too passively, Rasmussen may get ahead; if they expand the zone, they’ll make his job easier.

Henderson faces a patient lineup

Henderson’s results have been strong, but his execution has wavered. His command faltered in Game 2 of the NLDS, and two errors in Game 2 of the NLCS added a defensive concern for Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy. Those moments don’t define the pitcher, but they do sharpen the question Tampa Bay will try to answer: can Henderson stay in control when the at-bats lengthen and the defense has to make plays? He relies mainly on a fastball and changeup, with an occasional cutter. That mix gives him options, but the margin for error may be narrow against hitters who can decline pitches outside the zone.

The fastball’s split is unusual: right-handed hitters had much more success against it than left-handers this season. Tampa Bay was among the weaker teams against fastballs, which could blunt that vulnerability for much of the Rays’ lineup. Junior Caminero may be an exception. The larger test is Tampa Bay’s patience. The Rays are comfortable waiting for pitches outside the zone, leaving Henderson little room to miss. He’ll need to get ahead often enough to make the changeup effective, while avoiding the kind of errant fastball that turns a manageable count into a hitter’s advantage.

That said, a patient approach can cut both ways. If Tampa Bay waits for a mistake that never comes, Henderson can keep the game moving and hand it to Milwaukee’s relief corps with the score close. If he struggles to land strikes, the Rays can force him into longer innings and make the staff’s planned sequence harder to execute. A single walk doesn’t decide the game, but repeated free baserunners would change the pressure on both the pitcher and the defense.

The bullpen plan could decide the comparison

Rasmussen has the stronger case as a starter, but his heavy workload and Milwaukee’s pitching depth complicate the comparison. The contest isn’t simply a test of which pitcher owns the better season line. It’s also a test of how long each manager wants to wait before making a change, and whether the next arm can preserve the game’s shape. Milwaukee’s staff management gives the Brewers a route to stay competitive even if Henderson doesn’t last as long as Rasmussen.

If Henderson limits walks and keeps the ball in the strike zone, the Brewers’ staff may be positioned to make Game 2 a bullpen contest before Tampa Bay’s ace can take control. If Rasmussen works efficiently, Tampa Bay can make Milwaukee respond to him instead. This is more significant than it looks: the first starter to leave doesn’t automatically lose the matchup, but his team may have to spend its relief options earlier and ask more of the pitchers who follow.

If you’re watching for the clearest indicator, watch the free passes and the pace of each start. Rasmussen’s track record gives Tampa Bay a credible reason to expect length, while Henderson’s path depends more heavily on command and Milwaukee’s ability to manage the handoff. And yet, neither edge is guaranteed to carry through nine innings. A narrow starting advantage can disappear quickly when one pitcher falls behind, one defense falters, or the bullpen enters with the game still unsettled. The résumé matters. The sequence of decisions may matter more.