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Rays ace Shane McClanahan would require Tommy John surgical procedure subsequent week, stories Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Occasions (Twitter link). He’s anticipated to overlook all the 2024 marketing campaign.
It’s a devastating if not fully surprising growth. The 2-time All-Star left his begin on August 2 after experiencing forearm discomfort. Tampa Bay has been exploring their choices for the previous couple weeks, although the membership had already confirmed he was anticipated to overlook the rest of 2023 and that surgical procedure was a consideration. He’s already on the 60-day injured record.
Stunning or not, it’s arduous to overstate the importance of shedding a pitcher of McClanahan’s caliber. The previous first-round draftee debuted with 25 begins of three.43 ERA ball two seasons in the past. By his second main league season, he’d damaged by way of as one of many recreation’s greatest pitchers. McClanahan was a respectable Cy Younger contender into August final 12 months earlier than a shoulder impingement value him a pair weeks.
The absence dropped the South Florida product to sixth in Cy Younger balloting, however he nonetheless completed his sophomore marketing campaign with a 2.54 ERA by way of 166 1/3 frames. Whereas his ERA took a little bit of a step again this season, a 3.29 mark over 21 begins nonetheless ranks nineteenth amongst massive league starters (minimal 100 innings). He’s twenty third amongst that very same group with a 25.8% strikeout fee. McClanahan earned his second consecutive All-Star nod final month.
Tampa Bay has handled a brutal stretch of pitching accidents over the previous few months. High prospect Shane Baz has missed all the 12 months after present process a Tommy John process final September. McClanahan turns into the third member of the Rays’ season-opening beginning workers to require surgical procedure this 12 months. Jeffrey Springs required a Tommy John process in April; Drew Rasmussen underwent flexor tendon surgical procedure final month.
Even after the absences to Baz, Springs and Rasmussen, the Rays had an efficient high of the rotation. McClanahan, Tyler Glasnow and Zach Eflin made for a superb trio. With McClanahan now out of the image, Glasnow assumes the function of workers ace. Eflin — who has handled knee points all through his profession however has a 3.67 ERA by way of 23 begins in his first season with Tampa Bay — is the #2 possibility.
The early-season accidents led the Rays to accumulate Aaron Civale from the Guardians on the deadline. That acquisition takes on elevated significance with McClanahan out. Nonetheless, there’s little recourse past inside choices for Tampa Bay in patching collectively the ultimate two rotation spots. Taj Bradley has been up-and-down as a rookie and is on optionally available task to Triple-A. The Rays have pushed Zack Littell into the rotation and lately activated Josh Fleming from the injured record.
Tampa Bay enters play Tuesday three video games again of the Orioles within the AL East. They’re nonetheless in sturdy playoff place, 7.5 video games away from the Mariners (the highest non-playoff staff within the AL). Their probabilities of working down Baltimore to safe a first-round bye and/or making a deep run as soon as they get into October are clearly dealt a success by the lack of one of many recreation’s greatest starters.
That is the second Tommy John process of McClanahan’s profession. He missed his freshman 12 months at USF after present process surgical procedure in 2016. The Rays determine to be particularly cautious along with his restoration in consequence, though there’s a very good likelihood he would have missed all of ’24 even when this had been his first TJS.
McClanahan has just below three years of main league service. He’ll be eligible for arbitration as a Tremendous Two participant subsequent offseason. The Rays might want to carry him on their 40-man roster throughout the offseason however will instantly place him again on the 60-day IL subsequent spring. He’ll accumulate service time whereas rehabbing and stays on observe to first attain free company after the 2027 marketing campaign.
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