In their two decades of existence, the Tampa Bay Rays have never had a pair of brothers on the same team at the major league level.
That streak could come to an end.
Colby and Cory Rasmus grew up as part of a legendary little league family in Alabama, winning the Little League World Series US championship with Phenix City in 1999 before losing to Japan in the overall final.
But they hadn’t played together on a team since 2005 in high school.
That’s all changing this spring here in Port Charlotte.
“You dream of getting to the big leagues,” Cory Rasmus said. “That’s what you’ve played for since you started this game. And now to get here and have a chance to play with my brother, it doesn’t get much better than that.”
Unlike the more heralded Colby, who inked a one-year guaranteed contract worth over at least five million dollars, Cory Rasmus will need to prove himself on a minor league deal.
While they’re often on different practice fields (Cory’s a pitcher and Colby’s an outfielder), the Rasmus brothers are soaking in every moment they get together.
“It’s kind of surreal right now,” Colby Rasmus said. “It’s an interesting thing to be able to do. I feel very blessed in that. Being on the other side of the coin and playing against each other, I don’t really enjoy that too much.”
Colby did enjoy the result of his only plate appearance against Cory, doubling off his brother back in 2013.
That was in Cory's first major league season when Colby played for Toronto and Cory played for Atlanta.
The Rasmus boys were division rivals the last two years.
Colby was an Astro and Cory was an Angel.
Now, they’re teammates, which could pay big dividends.
Colby Rasmus SOT- “Being able to lean on each other and to give each other positive reinforcement, if you will, and just being there for each other and keep each other confident,” Colby Rasmus said. “Some of those long trips and nice bus rides, it’ll be good to see a familiar face.”
Each hopes those trips together last into the start of the regular season.
Colby will be seeking his fifth season with 20+ homers, while Cory hopes to make the opening day roster.
Cory has pitched in at least 16 games in each of his first four major league seasons.
“Both of them seem to be very sincere,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “Just pros the way they carry themselves. I think it’s pretty cool to have them both in here. Cory’s pitched some significant innings with the Angels in the big leagues. We’re excited to have him in camp and competing.”
Old-fashioned competition: something that’s never grown old in the Rasmus household.