Shane McClanahan Ready for Highly Anticipated Rays Return
In this story:
The Tampa Bay Rays were able to win their series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers, putting them on a mini two-game winning streak.
They will look to keep things going in Game 2 of the series against Brandon Woodruff. However, while the team will do everything it can to win the game, the outcome could be secondary for some people, such as starting pitcher Shane McClanahan.
A start on March 31 may not mean much to a lot of people, but this will be a special one for the talented lefty. Not only is it his 2026 debut, but it will also be the first time that he takes a Major League mound in nearly three years.
McClanahan has not started a game for the Rays since Aug. 2, 2023. Since that point, he has undergone Tommy John surgery and recovery and dealt with a nerve issue in his elbow that kept him from returning to the Big Leagues in 2025.
Shane McClanahan set for return to mound for Rays
Deemed healthy over the winter, excitement rose for his impending return throughout the offseason and into camp. He didn’t disappoint during the exhibition season.
Normally, results aren’t paid much attention to during spring training, but it was awesome to see McClanahan perform at such a high level. He made four starts during the Grapefruit League, going 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA with 15 strikeouts against 51 batters.
Now, he is ready to take the Big League mound, and emotions will certainly be high. This is an incredible achievement for the former first-round pick who worked tirelessly to get his arm and body back into shape to perform at the highest level.
A two-time All-Star before going down with injuries, McClanahan’s health is a major x-factor for Tampa Bay this season. It is anyone’s guess what his workload can be after missing so much time, but if he is close to regaining the form he had previously, it will raise the team’s ceiling exponentially.
Shane McClanahan's 3Ks in the 1st...and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/MjdJVkNH7T
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 20, 2026
Projections for him have been mostly positive, which is an encouraging sign for the Rays. Pitching is expected to be the strength of their team, but there are several hurlers who could be working on some sort of innings limits this season.
It will create some difficult navigating for manager Kevin Cash, but he has plenty of talented arms to call upon on his staff.
A trio of McClanahan, Ryan Pepiot and Drew Rasmussen gives the team a great core to build their rotation around.e
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. Previously, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.