GameDay Preview: Rays Seek 40th Win Tuesday With Shane McClanahan on Mound vs. Cubs

Tampa Bay ace Shane McClanahan is a perfect 8-0 this season with a tidy 1.97 earned runs average. He takes the mound on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field, squaring off against Chicago Cubs veteran Kyle Hendricks, who's making his second start of the season after missing 10 months with a shoulder injury. Here's the preview, with starting lineups.

CHICAGO — Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash gave his starting pitchers and extra day of rest this week, so left-hander Shane McClanahan is raring to go on Tuesday after five days' rest.

"I like normal rest and taking the ball as often as I can,'' said McClanahan, who has only given up a total of one run in his past two starts, both wins with seven innings of solid work against Milwaukee and Toronto. "Obviously I know the importance of the getting the extra day of rest, but I always feel ready, where it's the normal day or the extra day. You've just got to take it in stride.'' 

McClanahan has been fabulous this season. He's made 11 starts and is 8-0 with a 1.97 earned run average. The Rays are 10-1 in his starts, and have outscored their opponents 63-15 in those 10 wins. He's been especially good lately, cutting down on his walks to pitch later into games. Those are his only two seven-inning starts, and he was so good that he probably could have gone longer. He threw only 83 pitches against the Brewers on May 19 and just 82 against the Blue Jays on May 24. 

"Just kind of consistency in the zone, filling it up and trusting my stuff,'' McClanahan said. "Just trying to keep it simple and whatever happens, happens. I've just been trying to work ahead and stay ahead.''

The Rays have the best record in baseball at 39-17 and are looking to be the first teams to 40 wins this season. They missed their first crack at it on Monday when they were one-hit by Chicago starter Marcus Stroman and lost 1-0 in a Memorial Day matinee.

The 33-year-old Kyle Hendricks, the last man standing from the Cubs' 2016 World Series championship team, will make his second start of the year on Tuesday night. He pitched 4 1/3 innings in his 2023 debut last Thursday against the New York Mets, allowing five runs — three earned — and six hits in a 10-1 loss.

He's been out since last July with a tear in his shoulder, and the Cubs are glad to have the veteran back.  

“It's been a long road back for him,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “It just feels like things are back to normal, just seeing him around.”

The Cubs and Rays met here at Wrigley last year, too, with the Rays taking two of three games during a chilly series from April 18-20. Hendricks started the game they won, also pitching 4 1/3 innings on 90 pitches and giving up two runs. McClanahan started against him that night, too, allowing two runs in six innings but not factoring into the decision in his first game in the iconic ballpark.

"That was pretty cool last year. I feel like it was a baseball bucket list thing to pitch here while it was snowing,'' McClanahan

This is Hendricks' 10th season pitching for the Cubs, which puts him in an elite group. Only 12 pitchers in Cubs history have pitched for the club for 10 or more seasons. Kerry Wood (20001-12) was the last.

Here's are Tuesday's starting lineups:

TAMPA BAY RAYS

1. Josh Lowe, RF
2. Wander Franco, SS
3. Randy Arozarena, LF
4. Brandon Lowe, 2B
5. Harold Ramirez, DH
6. Isaac Paredes, 3B
7. Luke Raley, 1B
8. Manuel Margot, CF
9. Francisco Mejia, C

SP — Shane McClanahan (8-0, 1.97 ERA)

CHICAGO CUBS

1. Nico Hoerner, 2B
2. Dansby Swanson, SS
3. Ian Happ, LF
4. Seiya Suzuki, RF
5. Trey Mancini, 1B
6. Mike Tauchman, CF
7. Patrick Wisdom, 3B
8. Yan Gomes, C
9. Christopher Morel, DH

SP — Kyle Hendricks (0-1, 6.23 ERA)

The Rays are a big favorite according to the Fanduel gambling website. They are minus-180 and the over/under is at 8.5

Despite Tampa Bay having the best record in baseball, they are only third in Fanduel's odds to win the World Series at plus-600. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the favorite at plus-470, followed by the Atlanta Braves at plus-480. 

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