McClanahan 'getting it done' in Rays' rotation

After the Rays’ 10-4 win over the Twins on Friday night, when the offense was once again a driving force to victory, manager Kevin Cash was asked about the efforts of starting pitcher Shane McClanahan.

“Just a very solid outing again from him,” Cash said.

That quote could be taped and replayed after nearly all of McClanahan’s 18 starts this season. McClanahan (7-4, 3.73 ERA) has been solid, but very rarely has he been supreme.

Look a little deeper, though, and you might understand why the rookie left-hander entered this season ranked as the No. 75 overall prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline. Some of his most basic stats might not show it yet, but we’re here to tell you that McClanahan is special. And here’s how.

Consistency (it’s key)

Pitchers can’t possibly wield their A-plus stuff in every outing. When fastball location is off, or feel for a breaking pitch is lacking, the goal for a starter might shift to simply keeping his team in a game.

McClanahan does that. Over and over and over again.

“Since he’s come up here, he’s been very, very consistent,” Cash said. “All pitchers -- younger ones, veterans -- they all have hiccups throughout the course of the season. And I think there’s been one or two with Shane. But for the most part, he’s been a model of getting it done.”

McClanahan made his first MLB start on April 29, and the Rays were careful with his usage. He only pitched past the fifth inning once in his first nine starts, and he never exceeded 90 pitches. But McClanahan also maxed out at four runs allowed in an outing, which happened twice, and he was only charged with two losses. He kept the Rays in games.

His past nine starts have been far better: Seven outings have lasted into the sixth inning or later, and no outings have exceeded three runs allowed. Friday marked McClanahan’s first start with a triple-digit pitch count, which is a sign that the Rays are loosening their grip on him.

That display of consistency, paired with the Rays’ rampant run-scoring, explains why he’s won four of his past five starts.

Elite heat + offspeed excellence

Fastball velocity in the Majors continues trending upward, but McClanahan has kept himself ahead of the curve. His 96.6 mph average velocity on his fastball ranks in the 92nd percentile, and it breaks 54 percent more than average, according to Baseball Savant.

That may sound nasty enough on its own, but McClanahan has three plus breaking pitches to go with it.

McClanahan's slider (41.4 percent whiff rate), curveball (41.4) and changeup (45.3) are all at least six percent better than league average when it comes to whiff rate. He uses the slider the most, and he threw five in a row to his final batter, Trevor Larnach, on Friday to earn a strikeout with a pair of runners on.

Oh, and the three pitchers Baseball Savant views as most similar to McClanahan, based on velocity and movement, are Robbie Ray (153 ERA+, 10.9 K/9), Blake Snell (11.5 K/9, 2018 American League Cy Young Award winner) and Carlos Rodón (180 ERA+, 13.1 K/9). Pretty sweet company.

He’s not your average rook

McClanahan entered 2021 with a goose egg on the service time clock, but he first pitched for the Rays during their 2020 AL pennant run. In fact, he was the first pitcher to debut in the postseason.

He didn’t fare too well, allowing five runs (four earned) in just 4 1/3 innings. But the experience was more than unique; it was invaluable.

And if the Rays return for another deep run this October, McClanahan might be one of their most important contributors.