Dad surprises 11-year-old son with World Series tickets to watch his Rays namesake
Rays look to even World Series in Game 2
An 11-year-old Minnesota boy named Drew Rasmussen watched his Tampa Bay Rays namesake from the stands during Game 2 after his father surprised him with a trip to the World Series. FOX 13's Chris Cato reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - An 11-year-old Minnesota boy named Drew Rasmussen watched his Tampa Bay Rays namesake from the stands during Game 2 after his father surprised him with an incredible trip to the World Series.
Courtesy: Lindsay Rasmussen
Tampa Bay Rays pitcher inspires namesake
What we know:
Young Drew Rasmussen served as an honorary bat boy at Tropicana Field in 2023, walking off the mound side-by-side with his Major League Baseball namesake. During that home stand, the Rays played the Milwaukee Brewers, and Tampa Bay came out on top in both games the young fan attended.
The meeting between the pair forged an unforgettable bond. The boy's father, Nick, made a firm commitment to his son: "If Drew Rasmussen can heal up and make it to the World Series with the Rays, I'm taking you."
Courtesy: Lindsay Rasmussen
The journey came together following an appearance on "Tampa Bay Live" with host Regina Gonzalez, where the boy's father revealed the sudden plan.
"As soon as we get done with this show, we have to pack because we're going to the World Series," the father, Nick Rasmussen said during the broadcast.
The boy attended the game with his father after the pair stayed in Madison.
Courtesy: Lindsay Rasmussen
Lindsay Rasmussen told FOX 13 that the boy and his dad arrived at American Family Field five hours before first pitch.
Drew Rasmussen's journey to the World Series
The backstory:
Pitcher Drew Rasmussen has played for both the Rays and the Brewers – a unique headline as both teams are competing against each other in the World Series.
He's also someone who has had to persevere through three Tommy John surgeries during his career – and recovering each time – in time – to get himself back on the mound.
Courtesy: Lindsay Rasmussen
Younger Drew has been a fan of the MLB pitcher for years.
The family noted that when the pitcher was still a little-known name to many baseball fans, the younger Drew was a loyal, die-hard follower who tracked every single start from thousands of miles away in Minnesota. The right-hander went on to defy medical history, returning to form as an ace of the pennant-winning rotation.
Courtesy: Lindsay Rasmussen
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from personal accounts from Lindsay and Nick Rasmussen, and their live interview on FOX Tampa Bay Live.