Shane McClanahan hasn’t thrown a big-league pitch in over 18 months, but he has already earned the start for the Tampa Bay Rays’ season opener against the Colorado Rockies on March 28.
It will be the third Opening Day start for the 27-year-old McClanahan, who missed all of last season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
“His body of work from ‘21-23 is as impressive and stacks up with anybody in the game, certainly in this organization,” Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters on Sunday at spring training in Port Charlotte, Fla. “I just think he’s very deserving of it. We know we have five, six really good starting options, but I don’t think you penalize a guy for being hurt.”
The left-handed McClanahan started the 2022 All-Star Game for the American League. He also made the AL All-Star team in 2023 just weeks before his major arm injury. He was 11-2 with a 3.29 ERA in 21 starts in 2023 prior to undergoing surgery.
Over three major league seasons, McClanahan has gone 33-16 with a 3.02 ERA and 456 strikeouts over 404 2/3 innings in 74 starts.
McClanahan will become the fourth Tampa Bay pitcher to make three or more Opening Day starts. James Shields (2008-10, 2012) and Chris Archer (2015-18) each made four, and David Price (2011, 2013-14) landed three assignments.
“Not everybody gets the opportunity to do that,” McClanahan said. “We have such a talented group of guys here, and for them to trust in me and give me the opportunity for the third time, it’s not lightly taken.
“I feel very grateful for everything this organization has done for me, and I hope to extend that gratitude back.”
This start will be different. Due to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg being significantly damaged during Hurricane Milton, the Rays are playing their home games at Steinbrenner Field, the New York Yankees’ spring training facility in Tampa.
“I’m just thankful to take the ball. It could be on a back field, could be across the state, could be in a different country,” McClanahan said. “I’m just thankful that I have a baseball in my hand and pitching for the Tampa Bay Rays.”
