Rays' Shane McClanahan: Takes loss in first start since '23
Rotowire
McClanahan (0-1) took the loss Tuesday, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits and three walks over 4.2 innings against Milwaukee. He struck out four.
The left-hander took an MLB mound Tuesday for the first time since August of 2023 after missing the past two seasons while recovering from Tommy John surgery and a subsequent nerve issue. McClanahan kept the Brewers off the board through four frames but was unable to escape the fifth, giving up three runs on two hits, two walks and an error. The 28-year-old threw 50 of 79 pitches for strikes and averaged 95.4 mph with his fastball, which is a tick slower than his 2023 velocity but is still an encouraging figure in his first start back, especially given that he topped out at 97.4 mph. A home matchup with the Cubs is likely on deck for McClanahan early next week.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Dominates in third spring start
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McClanahan struck out seven and walked two without allowing a hit or a run in 3.2 innings Sunday against the Pirates.
The lefty's changeup was working well, getting whiffs at a 62 percent clip while he threw it 35 percent of the time. McClanahan's fastball averaged 94.8 miles per hour and touched 97.5 mph -- down from the 97.0 mph he averaged in 2022 and 2023. Still, McClanahan is discounted in drafts and can rack up strikeouts when he's healthy. He's up to eight innings through three spring starts.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Successful return to game action
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McClanahan (triceps) allowed two hits and no walks in two scoreless innings during Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Phillies. He struck out one.
After missing all of 2024 due to Tommy John surgery and then 2025 due to a nerve-related issue in his left triceps, McClanahan made his long-awaited first appearance back in game action Tuesday. The 28-year-old southpaw got his velocity up to 96.7 mph on his fastball, and he tossed 16 of his 23 pitches for strikes. Barring any setbacks this spring, McClanahan is tentatively slated to make his regular-season debut in the March 31 matchup in Milwaukee versus the Brewers, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Done for season
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McClanahan (triceps) underwent a surgical procedure on his left arm Monday, ending any chance of him returning in 2025, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
McClanahan has been sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 campaign to this point while working his way through a lingering nerve issue in his pitching arm. The left-hander was able to pitch in three minor-league rehab starts in July before he had a flare up of biceps discomfort, forcing him to pull back on his ramp up. McClanahan hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 2023, but this procedure could have him ready for spring training in 2026.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: One inning in first rehab outing
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McClanahan (triceps) struck out one batter and issued one walk in a scoreless inning during his first rehab start Tuesday in the rookie-level Florida Complex League.
McClanahan has had a long road to recovery from his Aug. 21, 2023 Tommy John surgery and more recently, a bout with nerve irritation in his triceps. His outing Tuesday marked his first appearance in affiliated ball in just under two years, though he had been able to make three starts in the Grapefruit League this spring before being shut down. Unsurprisingly, McClanahan was lifted after throwing just one inning and 11 pitches, though he was able to make use of his full arsenal in the appearance. The Rays will continue to have McClanahan ramp up slowly over the course of his rehab assignment, which will likely last for nearly the entirety of the 30-day window and should eventually move to Triple-A Durham. He appears to be tracking toward a return from the 60-day injured list in early August.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Resumes mound work
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McClanahan (triceps) threw off a mound Wednesday, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
It appears to be his first time throwing off the bump since he was shut down for a bit earlier this month. McClanahan visited a nerve specialist following the brief shutdown period, and that doctor gave the go-ahead to ramp things back up. There is no timetable for McClanahan's return to the Rays' rotation.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Visiting nerve specialist
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Manager Kevin Cash said Wednesday that McClanahan (triceps) will visit another nerve specialist within the next several days before determining the next steps in his rehab, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
McClanahan has spent the entire season working his way back from a nerve-related triceps injury and threw what was deemed a successful bullpen session Friday. However, the Rays skipper added that the 28-year-old southpaw is in "shut-down mode" for now. Clarification regarding the health of McClanahan's triceps will come after his doctor visit, though a best-case scenario still involves him remaining sidelined through the All-Star break.
McClanahan (triceps) threw a successful bullpen session Friday, MLB.com reports.
Rays manager Kevin Cash confirmed that McClanahan's side session went well, and while the Rays aren't yet putting a firm timeline on the left-hander's return from the 60-day injured list, president of baseball operations Erik Neander suggested a week ago that McClanahan may be out until "somewhere in late July or early August." McClanahan will likely gradually increase the intensity and volume of his side sessions over the next couple of weeks before advancing to facing hitters in live batting practice.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Nearing bullpen session
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Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said Sunday in an interview with MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM that McClanahan (triceps) is expected to throw his first bullpen session Friday.
McClanahan has been out all season after he was removed from his final appearance of spring training March 22 due to left triceps nerve irritation. Though Neander said that the Rays initially expected McClanahan to return from the injured list by the middle of April after follow-up tests on his arm revealed no structural problems, the nerve issue made it more difficult than anticipated for the lefty to regain strength. Just over two months after suffering the injury, McClanahan finally seems to be making some positive strides in his recovery, as he's been steadily increasing his throwing distance off flat ground in recent weeks. He'll take another important step forward in the rehab process when he gets back on the mound later this week, but he still has several more checkpoints to hit before he's activated from the 60-day IL. Neander acknowledged that "if all goes as planned from this point," McClanahan could be ready to join the Tampa Bay rotation "somewhere in late July or early August."
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Still feeling some discomfort
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Rays manager Kevin Cash said Sunday that McClanahan still feels some discomfort in his left triceps when playing catch from 60 feet, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
While the soreness in McClanahan's left arm hasn't totally dissipated, he's been "given the thumbs up by the doctors" to continue his throwing program, per Cash. However, McClanahan will not be able to ramp up and get cleared to throw from a mound until the nerve irritation in his triceps is gone. As such, McClanahan is without a timeline for making his 2025 debut with the Rays.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Throwing from 60 feet
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Rays manager Kevin Cash said Wednesday that McClanahan (triceps) is playing catch from 60 feet, MLB.com reports.
McClanahan resumed simuated throwing in late April and continues to ramp up slowly. He also underwent imaging recently, which came back clean. McClanahan's progress is positive, but he remains without a clear timeline to make his 2025 debut.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Tuesday that McClanahan (triceps) has begun throwing-like activities but is not playing regular catch yet, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
It continues to be a "slow and steady" build-up for McClanahan, per Cash, as the left-hander works his way back from a nerve issue in his left triceps. He's already on the 60-day injured list, and there remains no timetable for when the southpaw will be ready for his season debut.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Shifts to 60-day IL
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The Rays transferred McClanahan (triceps) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
McClanahan won't be eligible to return until May 26 after initially landing on the 15-day injured list due to an inflamed nerve in his left triceps. His 40-man roster spot will be given to Travis Jankowski, who was acquired in a trade with the White Sox on Friday.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Feeling better, but no timeline
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McClanahan said Monday that he remains without a timeline to make his season debut, but he acknowledged that his left arm is already feeling better after he exited his final Grapefruit League start Saturday due to nerve irritation in his tricep, John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
McClanahan noted that he's still waiting for the nerve to calm down before he's re-evaluated, at which point the Rays could have a clearer timeline for the lefty to resume his throwing program. Given that McClanahan previously underwent Tommy John surgeries in 2016 and in August 2023, the Rays will likely proceed deliberately with his recovery from the tricep issue, even though all indications are that the 27-year-old avoided a significant injury. With McClanahan ticketed for a stint on the injured list to begin the season, the Rays should have room at the back end of their Opening Day rotation for both Zack Littell and Drew Rasmussen.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Dealing with inflamed nerve
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McClanahan was diagnosed with an inflamed nerve in his left triceps and will begin the season on the injured list, with manager Kevin Cash saying the diagnosis was "probably the best news that we could have heard," Ryan Bass of FanDuel Sports Network Sun reports.
The left-hander doesn't have an official timeline for his return as he begins a period of rest and recovery, but the initial diagnosis in encouraging after he exited Saturday's Grapefruit League game with the injury. A timetable for McClanahan's season debut could come into focus once he resumes a throwing program, but it appears he won't require as significant an absence as first anticipated.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Facing hitters next week
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McClanahan (elbow) is scheduled to throw live batting practice next Thursday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
It will be the left-hander's first time facing hitters since he underwent Tommy John surgery in August of 2023. McClanahan began throwing off a mound last month and expects to have a "completely normal offseason." The 27-year-old should open the 2025 season in the Rays' rotation but is likely to have some workload restrictions in place in his first year back from elbow surgery.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Throws off mound
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McClanahan (elbow) threw from a mound Tuesday, MLB.com reports.
This was the first time McClanahan threw from a mound since he underwent Tommy John surgery in August of 2023. He threw 10 fastballs and is expected to progress to full bullpen sessions next. McClanahan is still very likely to miss all of the 2024 season.
Rays manager Kevin Cash said Monday that McClanahan (elbow) has increased his throwing distance to 135 feet, MLB.com reports.
Cash noted that McClanahan is "doing well" in his recovery from his Aug. 21, 2023 Tommy John surgery, the second such procedure of his career. The southpaw remains unlikely to return from the 60-day injured list in 2024.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Placed on 60-day IL
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The Rays placed McClanahan (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday, Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Sun reports.
Tampa Bay needed to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for the addition of Phil Maton. McClanahan will be sidelined until 2025 while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
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Rays' Shane McClanahan: Will undergo Tommy John surgery
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Rays manager Kevin Cash said Tuesday that McClanahan (forearm) will undergo Tommy John surgery, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.
McClanahan had already been ruled out for the rest of 2023, but a Tommy John procedure will likely keep him out for all of 2024 as well. The 26-year-old southpaw landed on the injured list Aug. 3 and will undergo surgery sometime next week. He finishes 2023 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.18 WHIP alongside a 121:41 K:BB ratio through 115 innings.
