Just For Starters: Breaking Down Shane McClanahan's Start Against Twins on Saturday

Tampa Bay starter Shane McClanahan set a career high with 11 strikeouts, but allowed two home runs to Kyle Garlick and left after five-plus innings trailing 3-1. Here's our breakdown of McClanahan's start in our "Just For Starters'' feature.

Shane McClanahan turned in another impressive performance for the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday, pitching five-plus against a tough Minnesota lineup that had won seven straight hits before hitting town on Friday. 

He struck out a career-high 11 batters but left in the sixth after allowing the second home run of the game by Twins left fielder Kyle Garlick, who came into the game hitting just .118.

This was McClanahan's fifth start of the season.

Shane McClanahan, More Filth. 😷

7Ks thru 3. He's pretty good. pic.twitter.com/f3IrjSS86c

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 30, 2022

Here is a breakdown of McClanahan's day on Saturday, and the cumulative numbers of the Rays starting staff this season:

Rays' Starters By The Numbers

• Starter: Shane McClanahan
• Game: Saturday (April 29) vs. Minnesota Twins
• Decision: Pending
• Team result: Pending
• Innings pitched: 5.0
• Total pitches: 90
• Strikes: 57
• Runs allowed: 3
• Earned runs: 3
• Hits allowed: 4
• Walks allowed: 2
• Total strikeouts: 11
• Status upon departure: Shane McClanahan pitched to two batters in the sixth inning, but left after Kyle Garlick's long home run to left field. He was replaced by J.P. Feyereisen. 
  
• The skinny: McClanahan set a career high with 11 strikeouts, but those two Kyle Garlick home runs were a lot to overcome. 

Season Totals for Rays Starters

• Starters: Shane McClanahan (5), Drew Rasmussen (4), Corey Kluber
  (4), Luis Patino, Tommy Romero, Josh Fleming
• Games: 16 (5 openers, not included in numbers)
• Decisions: 3-5 thru Friday
• Team result: 12-8 thru Friday
• Innings pitched (avg.): 71.1/4.4
• - Season high innings: 7.0, Shane McClanahan (April 24)
• - Season low innings: 2/3, Luis Patino (April 11)
• Total pitches (avg.): 1,155/72.2
• - Season high pitches: 90, Shane McClanahan (April 30)
• - Season low pitches: 13, Luis Patino (April 11)
• Total strikeouts (avg.): 85/5.3
• - Season high strikeouts: 11, Shane McClanahan (April 30) 
• Runs allowed (avg.): 33/2.0
• Earned runs (avg.): 30/1.9
• Hits allowed (avg.): 63/3.9
• - Season most hits allowed: 11, Corey Kluber (April 22)
• Walks allowed (avg.): 22/1.3
• Starter ERA: 3.79