Why Shane McClanahan's Spring Focus Matters More Than His Results

Can a former All-Star pitcher once again find his form for the Tampa Bay Rays?

Mar 1, 2025; Port Charlotte, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) throws a pitch against the New York Mets in the second inning during spring training at Charlotte Sports Park. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

With spring training games set to start soon for the Tampa Bay Rays, the team will be excited to get on the field and get the season rolling. 

For the last two years, the Rays haven’t been able to live up to their expectations. Despite being a franchise with a low payroll, Tampa Bay is usually a contender in the American League. However, the last two years haven’t been easy for the team, and they finished eight games under .500 in 2025. 

Fortunately, they will be back at home at Tropicana Field, and that should help them quite a bit. This winter, the team saw a noticeable shakeup for their roster with some key players no longer on the team. 

The Rays are no strangers to trading veterans before they hit free agency, and that’s what they did with All-Star slugger Brandon Lowe. Fortunately, his return was strong and improved the farm system, but replacing that offensive production will be a challenge. 

While the lineup might have taken a step back, Tampa Bay will be hoping that the return of their ace, Shane McClanahan, will greatly improve their rotation. However, following his absence for so much time, he and the team must be careful. 

McClanahan’s Focus on Being Healthy is More Important Than Results

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

With the left-hander healthy this spring, getting him back on the mound and keeping him healthy has to be one of the top priorities for the team. Before getting hurt, he was a two-time All-Star and one of the best left-handed pitchers in the league. 

If he can return to that level of production along with Drew Rasmussen coming off an All-Star season, Tampa Bay could have a formidable one-two punch at the top of the rotation. 

However, due to his missing so much time, the team must not only be careful, but they should also limit expectations early. For pitchers coming back from injury and missing so much time, there is usually a period of rust that they have to go through. 

There are likely to be some rough outings for McClanahan this spring as he attempts to come back following missing so much time. It will be important for Tampa Bay not to panic and to focus on the process rather than the results. Hopefully, he will be able to knock off the rust quickly and be an effective pitcher soon for the franchise once again.