Tampa Bay Rays Get Awful Injury News on Top Starting Pitcher

In unfortunate injury news, the Tampa Bay Rays have announced that ace pitcher Shane McClanahan will undergo Tommy John surgery. It will likely keep him out of action until 2025.

In devastating injury news, Tampa Bay Rays ace Shane McClanahan will undergo Tommy John surgery.

The following update comes from the Rotowire fantasy baseball portal:

Rays manager Kevin Cash said Tuesday that McClanahan (forearm) will undergo Tommy John surgery, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

ANALYSIS
McClanahan had already been ruled out for the rest of 2023, but a Tommy John procedure will likely keep him out for all of 2024 as well. The 26-year-old southpaw landed on the injured list Aug. 3 and will undergo surgery sometime next week. He finishes 2023 with a 3.29 ERA and 1.18 WHIP alongside a 121:41 K:BB ratio through 115 innings.

It's a terrible blow for one of the game's best pitchers and a terrible blow for a Rays team that is trying to win its first World Series title.

This makes three key components to the Rays' rotation that are out of the season in McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs. All have undergone elbow procedures.

For his career, McClanahan is 33-16 with a 3.02 ERA. He made the All-Star Game this season but was unable to pitch because of a previous back injury.

The Rays entered play on Tuesday at 72-49 and 3.0 games back of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League East.

In McClanahan's absence, newly-acquired Aaron Civale and Zach Eflin will have to pick up the slack. 

The Rays are out West this week, taking on the San Francisco Giants before a weekend series with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

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