McClanahan determined as the road to his return begins

ST. PETERSBURG -- Shane McClanahan didn’t want to jump to any conclusions, but there was a little fear in the back of his mind when he felt some tightness on the outside of his left forearm in his fourth and final inning on Aug. 2 at Yankee Stadium.

It was an unfortunately familiar feeling, similar enough to what he felt eight years ago as a freshman pitcher at the University of South Florida. The resulting treatment wound up being the same, too, as Tampa Bay’s ace underwent a second Tommy John surgery on his left elbow Aug. 21.

Speaking about his injury and surgery to reporters for the first time, McClanahan struck a frustrated but determined tone.

“Obviously, I wish it never had to happen. But it is what it is. I was really frustrated when I found out, but I can't control that,” McClanahan said Wednesday afternoon in front of his locker at Tropicana Field, his throwing arm still in a brace. “I can't control if I'm going to get injured. I want to control how hard I work, the quality of teammate I am and the consistency on the field.

“Ultimately, the next year, year and a half, whatever it may be, I'm going to work my butt off to make sure that when I'm healthy, it's going to be the same me. I'm excited to get back.”

When Rays manager Kevin Cash said on Aug. 8 it was “highly unlikely” McClanahan would return this season, he noted there were several surgical options on the table, from relatively minor procedures like loose body removal to the far more significant operation McClanahan ultimately underwent.

At that point, McClanahan had been evaluated by orthopedic team physician Dr. Koco Eaton and Dr. Neal ElAttrache, another elbow injury specialist in Los Angeles. The 26-year-old lefty said the results of his exams and imaging were sent to Dr. Keith Meister, who offered a similar opinion on Aug. 15.

Meister performed the surgery, which McClanahan noted also “cleaned some other stuff up,” including bone chips.

“As a group, as a collective whole, we decided that this is what needed to be done,” McClanahan said. “Ultimately, in my opinion, the best thing I could have done for this team and for my future is just get healthy, to undergo surgery and come back and be the best pitcher I can possibly be for this team, for this organization, for this community.

“I'm really excited to get back. I am. I miss it a lot.”

When healthy, McClanahan was one of the best pitchers in baseball over the past two years, and he accomplished a lot by just his third Major League season. The lefty made his Major League debut in the 2020 postseason, was the Rays’ Game 1 starter in consecutive postseasons and their Opening Day starter two years in a row, earned a pair of All-Star nods and started the ‘22 Midsummer Classic for the American League.

When might he be back in the Rays’ rotation? It’s too soon to say, and McClanahan wasn’t interested in setting a speculative timeline less than three weeks after surgery. When he had surgery, Rays officials said he was unlikely to pitch next season, making a 2025 return more realistic.

“Definitely, it's frustrating for myself to kind of accept that or hear that,” McClanahan said. “There's nothing more I love than playing for these guys and wearing the ‘TB’ across my hat. Been here [in the Tampa Bay area] the last eight years, and I've felt extremely lucky to be able to play for essentially my hometown team.

“I need to get back, and I will get back. I love this team, love this city and I'm going to work my [butt] off.”