TAMPA, Fla. — According to Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash, ace Shane McClanahan will undergo Tommy John surgery, missing the rest of the 2023 season and potentially 2024.
McClanahan was placed on the 15-day injured list on Aug. 4 due to an injured left forearm. He gave up five earned runs and two home runs in a start against the New York Yankees two days prior, which turned out to be his last of the season.
A few days later, Cash told reporters it was "highly unlikely" that McClanahan would pitch again in 2023.
McClanahan began the season on a tear, with an 8-0 record and a 2.07 ERA through his first 11 starts. Because of those numbers, he was selected to appear in the 2023 MLB All-Star Game, his second straight All-Star selection.
But after mid-back tightness sidelined McClanahan from late June until after the All-Star break, he had difficulty retaining his All-Star form after his return on July 17, allowing 15 runs in 19 innings over four starts.
McClanahan finished the 2023 season 11-2 with a 3.29 ERA.
He will undergo his second Tommy John surgery. McClanahan missed his first season at the University of South Florida while recovering from the procedure in 2016.
Recovery time is usually 12-14 months, but the timeline is less certain for players who have had the surgery more than once.
McClanahan was drafted by the Rays in 2018 out of USF and debuted in 2020. He is 33–16 in his Rays career, posting a 3.02 ERA with 456 strikeouts.
With the Rays' rotation now down another starter, the team is expected to use a rotation of Tyler Glasnow, Zach Eflin, trade deadline acquisition Aaron Civale and converted reliever Zack Littell as the month continues.
