This story was excerpted from Adam Berry’s Rays Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Shane McClanahan insists his relentless drive to improve is not about winning awards or reaching milestones. It’s not about money or fame. It comes from within. 

“There comes a point where you want to find out how good you can be, and that only happens if you put the work in,” McClanahan said recently. “I’m very self-motivated, and I want to be as good as I can be.” 

That mentality has allowed McClanahan to accomplish a lot of things during his ascent from promising prospect to young ace. He’s pitched in three postseasons, including the past two as Tampa Bay’s Game 1 starter. He got the nod to start the 2022 All-Star Game for the American League. And now he’s a two-time Opening Day starter for the Rays.

The Rays and MLB made official on Friday what manager Kevin Cash told McClanahan during the first week of Spring Training: The 25-year-old left-hander will get the ball against the Tigers on March 30 at Tropicana Field. 

“I think he's extremely deserving, just with what he's meant to us and how he performed last year, the work that he's put in this offseason,” Cash said. “Shane's a very motivated guy that has come in even more motivated. It's an honor to be able to say, 'Go out and start Opening Day for us.' You look at the Opening Day starters in this organization the last decade or so -- pretty impressive group, and now Shane joins that.”

McClanahan will be the first Rays pitcher to make consecutive Opening Day starts since Chris Archer had four in a row from 2015-18. The emotions weren’t new on Friday, although he was finally allowed to express them and express his gratitude. 

“I'm pretty humbled by it,” he said. “To be honest with you, I was blown away. There are so many great guys on the staff that are willing and are deserving, and to get the nod just means a lot to me.” 

McClanahan is coming off an excellent season, his first full campaign in the Majors. With a four-pitch mix of elite offerings, he posted a 2.54 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with 194 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings and 28 starts. McClanahan believes he can be better this year.  

Cash, too, said McClanahan is motivated to “mirror the first half to the second half,” as he was arguably the best pitcher in the league before the All-Star break. His second half wasn’t quite the same, as he posted a 4.20 ERA with 47 strikeouts in 55 2/3 innings and dealt with a shoulder injury that sidelined him for two weeks.

If he puts it all together and continues to improve, what might he be capable of this season? The Rays are excited to find out. 

“He started the All-Star Game last year. I mean, win a Cy Young, I guess?” fellow starter Drew Rasmussen said. “That's kind of the only place to go from there. He's definitely capable. His repertoire is plenty good. His command is plenty good. The work ethic is definitely there. He has all the attributes to do it, and from an individualistic standpoint, I think that'd be a great goal for him.”