He’s a healthy pitcher. We are incredibly appreciative and grateful for the contributions that he gave us to get us to this point,
Rays manager Kevin Cash said on Sunday.
Shane McClanahan will not pitch for the Tampa Bay Rays in the postseason, as team officials announced that the left-hander will not be added to the American League Championship Series roster. The decision comes after McClanahan pitched 118 innings this year in his return following a two-year absence caused by Tommy John surgery and a subsequent nerve issue that forced him to miss the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Return and Injury Context
During his 2025 campaign, McClanahan posted a 10-7 record with a 3.36 ERA across 24 starts before being placed on the injured list with left forearm tightness in early September.
I don’t think any of us could have envisioned that he was going to get to that 120-inning mark and do it in a pretty dominant fashion. I mean, I think he’s got to be up there for Comeback Player of the Year with the time that he missed,
Cash stated.
Postseason Outlook and Next Steps
Despite his health status, team leadership concluded that shutting down the left-hander for the remainder of the year was the prudent path forward as the Tampa Bay Rays prepare to host the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the ALCS on Monday night.
But felt it made the most sense that his season is over. He’s going to go into the season as a healthy pitcher. Right now, he’s really focused on being the best teammate, which he does that pretty seamlessly and cheering his buddies on,
Cash said.
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