ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A season that started off as a dream for Tampa Bay Rays starter Shane McClanahan may now be heading toward a nightmare scenario.
On Tuesday, Rays manager Kevin Cash dropped the unwelcomed news that the All-Star is “highly unlikely” to return this season, adding that “all options are on the table.” The left-hander landed on the 15-day injured list for the second time this season after leaving a start earlier this month against the New York Yankees with left forearm tightness.
McClanahan (11-2) is 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.
Prior to the rough stretch, McClanahan emerged as one of the best pitchers in baseball this year. He started off 11-1 with a 2.12 ERA in 15 starts.
With Tuesday’s news from Cash, that hot start seems like nothing more than a distant memory.
As pointed out by Locked On Rays’ Stacey Gostulias, McClanahan has one Tommy John surgery under his belt already. Since his latest injury, he’s been examined by multiple doctors and still has another appointment left.
Although Tommy John surgery hasn’t been the confirmed route for McClanahan, 10 Tampa Bay Sports Director Evan Closky reports that it hasn’t been ruled out, either.
McClanahan’s full body of work in 2023 includes an 11-2 record with a 3.29 ERA and 121 strikeouts across 115 innings pitched.
While this news isn’t likely to excite Rays fans, something to look forward to is the return of pitcher Tyler Glasnow. He isn’t expected to return during the home series against the St. Louis Cardinals, but there’s hope he could be inserted back into the rotation against Cleveland this weekend.
Glasnow suffered an oblique injury during Spring Training and missed nearly all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. When healthy, he’s proven to provide ace-caliber pitching.