The Tampa Bay Rays have been one of many hottest groups in baseball the previous couple of weeks, however have been delivered dangerous information Tuesday night time. All-Star lefty and Cy Younger candidate Shane McClanahan didn’t begin as scheduled in opposition to Miami Marlins and the crew stated he has a left shoulder impingement.
He’s set to endure additional testing on his shoulder Wednesday, however the Rays have already positioned him on the injured checklist. He shall be lacking not less than just a few weeks because of this. The very best-case state of affairs is that he is able to rejoin the rotation by the center of September for the drive to the playoffs.
McClanahan did try and heat up previous to Tuesday’s recreation. The Bally Sports activities tv broadcast confirmed him flexing his arm, and being consoled by coaches and teammates after deciding to drag the plug.
The Rays have had a tough time holding pitchers wholesome lately. They at present have seven pitchers on the injured checklist, together with starters Yonny Chirinos (Tommy John surgical procedure), Tyler Glasnow (Tommy John surgical procedure), and Shane Baz (elbow sprain). Elbows are typically fixable. Shoulders may be way more troublesome.
Tampa has operated with 4 beginning pitchers in latest weeks — McClanahan, Corey Kluber, Drew Rasmussen, and Jeffrey Springs — whereas utilizing quite a lot of openers and spot starters within the fifth spot. Righty Luis Patiño and lefties Josh Fleming and Ryan Yarbrough are the highest candidates to maneuver into the rotation ought to McClanahan miss time.
McClanahan, 25, got here into Tuesday with a 2.20 ERA and 182 strikeouts in a profession excessive 147 1/3 innings this season. His earlier profession excessive was the 129 innings he threw final yr between the common season and postseason. McClanahan had Tommy John surgical procedure in school however has in any other case been wholesome as a professional.
The Rays are 71-57 on the season, however are seven video games behind the fading New York Yankees within the AL East. The 2 golf equipment open a three-game collection at Tropicana Subject on Friday.
