Rays Southpaw Shane McClanahan Pitches 1 Inning in FCL Rehab Assignment

Updated July 8, 2025, 5:40 p.m. ET

A long-winding and challenging path to recovery for Tampa Bay Rays' lefty Shane McClanahan experienced another positive development.

On Tuesday, the Rays sent McClanahan on a rehab assignment to their Florida Complex League affiliate in Port Charlotte, Fla. He pitched the first inning, allowing one walk and getting three outs, including a strikeout to end the inning.

"Good report. Everything went very well,'' Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said in Detroit prior to Tuesday's game. "It was a very pro effort. He went out there and controlled himself. He was excited to get out there and face hitters.

"I texted back and forth with Mac, and it was a big first step for him.''

Cash said the thought for now is to have him pitch in Durham over the weekend. That would more than likely be Sunday, since the Bulls are off on Monday. They play Nashville at 1:05 p.m. ET on Sunday.

The move is indicative of McClanahan's progression toward returning from a left triceps nerve irritation injury he suffered in his final exhibition start on March 22 against the Boston Red Sox.

When the injury occurred, it struck fear into the hearts of those around the Rays organization and fans alike. At that point, McClanahan had not pitched in a major-league contest since Aug. 2, 2023, due to undergoing his second Tommy John surgery shortly after. McClanahan underwent his first elbow surgery when he was 17. The second operation featured an internal brace to help stabilize the elbow.

After clutching at his arm and immediately leaving the mound, it was difficult to avoid thoughts of a worst-case scenario. Could McClanahan, who had been a two-time All-Star and Tampa Bay's ace, once again be lost for the season?

McClanahan did his best to squash the fear immediately.

"As soon as I walked off the mound, I told [manager Kevin] Cash, 'It's not the elbow. It's not the elbow," McClanahan said after the incident.

Luckily, the 28-year-old southpaw was correct. While his upcoming return to the mound is promising, the injury has still cost him more than half the season.

The road to a return has proven to be a series of peaks and valleys for McClanahan. After the injury occurred, he said he felt great. By the beginning of June, McClanahan's rehab process was going smoothly.

But after throwing a full-intensity bullpen session on June 7, McClanahan didn't feel right, leading to another setback and an appointment with nerve specialist Dr. Gregory J. Pearl in Dallas on June 17. The appointment went well, and McClanahan continued to throw.

Now, McClanahan has regained the ground he lost, with the latest news demonstrating another step toward facing hitters in a live game setting.

When healthy, McClanahan is one of the most dominant pitchers in the league. Before needing his second Tommy John surgery, the University of South Florida product posted an 11-2 record with a 3.29 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 21 starts. For his career, McClanahan is 33-16 with a 3.02 ERA.

This teammates are certainly readyto have him back around. They know this two-year layoff has been tough on McClananan.

"It would be pretty big (to have him back) on the field for sure,'' Rays pitcher Zack Littell told Tampa Bay Rays on SI publisher Tom Brew in Detroit. "It sounds like everything went really well and I'm just glad he's feeling good. They're going to take the time they need to take to make sure he's right, but I think the most important thing is that Shane thinks he's feeling good.

"Obviously, every guy in here wants him back as quickly as possible. I know that Mac would love to be here tomorrow, but the more days we can kill until he gets here (sometime in August) will be good.''

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