ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays All-Star Shane McClanahan is frustrated but determined following his second Tommy John surgery.
McClanahan met with the media for the first time before the Rays’ game Wednesday night against Boston since undergoing the procedure on Aug. 21.
The left-hander is not expected back until 2025.
“I’m feeling about as good as I can be and, obviously, frustrated,” McClanahan said. “It’s unfortunate, but I take a lot of pride in taking that ball and representing this community and my teammates when I take the ball and when I’m out there competing. I’m already missing it, I really am, but I’m working my butt off to get back.”
McClanahan said there was also clean-up work done.
“We kind of knew that it needed to be done, McClanahan said of the surgery done by Dr. Keith Meister, “And he went in there, and he cleaned some other stuff up, bone chips obviously, and whatever he decided to do in there. Obviously, I wish it never had to happen. But it is what it is.”
McClanahan left an Aug. 2 loss to the New York Yankees after four innings because the outside of his forearm tightened while he was warming up.
McClanahan (11-2) went 0-1 in six starts since his last win on June 16, leaving starts on June 22 and 30 due to mid-back tightness that eventually forced him onto the 15-day IL on July 1. He returned July 17 and went six innings against Texas before lasting just four, five and four innings in his next three starts.
"To tell you the truth, it’s one of those things where I had the surgery a long time ago, and I kind of knew what to expect," McClanahan said. “I got through it then, and the surgery has just progressed leaps and bounds in the last eight to 10 years. I’ve got a great group of people around me, and I was ready to get to work. I was ready to be the old Shane McClanahan on that mound.”