MLB WORLD SERIES: RAYS VS BREWERS

October 24, 2026

Robert Gasser

American Family Field

Milwaukee Brewers

Pregame 2 Press Conference

Q. A couple of weeks ago you were remembering beginning the season in Nashville watching this team. Have you thought about how -- just what it's like to be here starting another Game 3 and now in the World Series and a guy that wasn't with the team on Opening Day? What does that mean to you?

ROBERT GASSER: I'm really lucky, for one. It's taken a lot of hard work, though. Not everything is always luck. It took a lot of perseverance, working with different coaches in different places, and just staying the course.

Q. What have you learned about your stuff at the Big League level given maybe to the outside they don't see the massive velocity numbers, but they see good break? What do you think makes your stuff work at this level?

ROBERT GASSER: It starts with strikes. I feel if I'm able to locate everything in the zone -- not even locate, but just fill it up, it gives me the best chance. We have one of the best defenses in baseball, and we have a great mind behind the plate that knows how to call a game. So relying on all those people.

Q. One thing that's stuck out during the final month of the regular season into these first two postseason starts is your success against right-handed hitters. What do you attribute to that success as of late?

ROBERT GASSER: Nothing in particular. Again, I trust William to call the pitches. I do my best to execute. Right now the sinker and the sweeper combo has been working well. So just keep going with what we're going with.

Q. After that Mariners game when Murph pulled you mid at-bat, I'm curious the next couple days after that, how did you respond to it? Do you feel like that was maybe a bit of a turning point for your year?

ROBERT GASSER: I'd say it was a key point. There was a few games where I felt kind of -- gave me an opportunity to learn. Every outing is an opportunity to learn, but definitely the Seattle one. Going into the game and just how I'm approaching trying to get hitters out.

It's not always about the swing and miss and letting it fly. I think learning from that Seattle game where it was kind of just trying to throw wipeout stuff every single pitch, it's not necessary. Like I said, we've got really, really good defense. So relying on them is good.

Q. If I remember correctly, John Smoltz, when you were pitching in the NLCS, he just said you're so composed, you're so just dialed in. There's little emotion, but obviously when it comes to the right time to show that emotion. Where does that come from, just being even-keeled no matter what the spot is and kind of dialing in when you need to?

ROBERT GASSER: I was raised with the mindset of act like you've been there before. I've tried to keep that. Then watching Drohan, honestly, this year, that guy doesn't seem like he breathes out there, in a good way. So trying to watch that.

Then not get too high or too low. I feel like as a starter, you have a long game, and you're getting insanely excited in the third inning, you've still got two, three more innings. So just try to stay even-keel and stay in the moment.

Q. What's it like on any given night as a starter knowing what's coming up behind you in your bullpen? As a fellow lefty, what do you think about what Ashby is doing in the postseason?

ROBERT GASSER: Yeah, it kind of goes into that bullpen, and Ashby is -- if we can get through -- for now it's been four, but five or six -- you feel really confident handing the ball over to those guys. Ashby is doing his thing, and it's great. Then Trevor is locking down the games, and Uribe is always in there for the key part of the order in the middle of the game.

There's plenty more guys back there. So handing them the ball in the fifth inning with a lead, we feel really good about.

Q. How much has your trust and relationship with William grown, and is there any example of a moment or a story where he kind of helped you during a start, whether it be refocus or something like that?

ROBERT GASSER: No, we're not super vocal in the game, not super vocal. But looking back to my debut in '24, and he's back there, and you're throwing to William Contreras, and he's got the Jordan logo on his chest and you know he's a dude.

I feel like every game I go out and I want to impress him because you don't really want to get those laser beams thrown back at you because it means you've got to figure it out.

Q. You mentioned ever since that Seattle game, you've really been pitching really well. I didn't know if there was a particular start where you kind of realized you kind of locked it in and were kind of on this roll? Was there any particular start where it kind of sunk in for you?

ROBERT GASSER: No, there was -- there wasn't a start in particular. I've said it before, it's like an accumulation over the year. I had a great game against St. Louis, and then I gave up eight runs the next outing.

I feel like it's learning from the bad outings and trying to carry on the success and the game plan from the good ones.

Q. When you finally had the elbow pain after the start against the White Sox two years ago, was it sudden, or was that a buildup related to the bone spurs you felt earlier in Spring Training?

ROBERT GASSER: Yeah, it definitely flared up a lot more that day. I was definitely grinding that year. The start of the season, I was on the IL, and then worked back and felt really good for a numerous amount of starts. I was throwing hard in Nashville and came up here and continued the same, and then yeah, just that one, which obviously was unfortunate. You're riding a pretty good high in the Big Leagues, and then you end up in Arizona with a brace on your arm.

Q. What was that rehab process like in Arizona? Were you just alone? Were there people with you on the backfields?

ROBERT GASSER: Certainly. There's a ton of guys rehabbing. It's not ideal. You don't want to have a lot of guys rehabbing, but I had a good supporting cast there.

Arizona is hot in the summer. There wasn't a ton to do. Just trying to take care of the body.

Q. What was it like watching them in the postseason from afar?

ROBERT GASSER: I mean, it sucked to be on this team and riding a high and feeling good to start my career and end up there, it was definitely demoralizing. But it's part of the game, and I'm lucky to be here now.

Q. Did your parents follow and watch your bullpen at Dodger Stadium? Were they able to do that, and will they do it in Tampa as far as you know?

ROBERT GASSER: I didn't see them down there. I actually did have some friends that were down in the bullpen. I managed to get them a ball, which was cool.

I don't know, I don't think it's as good of access there with the onfield pen. I feel like the seats are going to be tight, but we'll see.