Rays' Star Pitcher Scheduled to Start on Tuesday Against Phillies

The Tampa Bay Rays will be seeing their star pitcher return to the mound on Tuesday

Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

With spring training kicking into gear, the Tampa Bay Rays will have two split-squad games on Tuesday. While the team will be on the road playing the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers, all eyes will be on their home game with a returning star. 

With players for the franchise splitting up for multiple games on Tuesday, the Rays’ home game against the Philadelphia Phillies is going to be a very important one. With the lineup being set for the game, as expected, former All-Star pitcher Shane McClanahan is taking the mound following missing the last two years because of injury. 

Huge Step Back for McClanahan

#Rays lineup vs. #Phillies in Port Charlotte: pic.twitter.com/KKsC0q8kKd

— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) March 3, 2026

This is a pivotal spot in the hopeful return of the star left-hander following missing so much time. When healthy, the southpaw was the ace of the staff for Tampa Bay and a two-time All-Star. 

So far this offseason, he has been going through a fairly normal offseason of work, and that is very encouraging. During a recent live bullpen session, McClanahan felt good, and that is the most important thing at this point. 

While it is fair to expect some rust after missing so much time, the southpaw also has the potential to be the x-factor for the team in 2026. If he is able to return to All-Star form fairly quickly, he and Drew Rasmussen will be one of the best one-two punches in baseball. Tuesday will be a big step forward for McClanahan, and hopefully, he continues to feel well following the start.