The Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday announced that left-handed starter Shane McClanahan has been placed on the 15-day injured list. The move comes after McClanahan exited his Wednesday start against the Yankees with soreness in his forearm. The Rays did not announce a diagnosis and, according to the club's statement are "in the process of gathering further information and updates will be provided when available."
McClahanan, 26, has pitched to a 3.29 ERA (125 ERA+) and a K/BB ratio of 2.95 in 115 innings this season. However, his performance has trended strongly downward in recent starts, including five runs and two home runs allowed in four innings during that Wednesday start against New York. McClanahan, in 2022, finished sixth in the AL Cy Young balloting.
Regardless of the diagnosis and how long it keeps McClanahan off the mound, this is a critical loss to a Rays team that's already been hit brutally hard by pitching injuries. The return of Tyler Glasnow and the deadline acquisition of Aaron Civale helped matters, but much hinges on McClanahan's diagnosis and timeline.
The Rays enjoyed a legendary start to the season, but they're below .500 since the beginning of June, mainly because of all the pitching attrition. Tampa Bay is in the top wild-card position in the AL and just two games behind the first-place Orioles in the AL East.
