1 month agoAccording to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Rays starting pitcher
Shane McClanahan has been named the Opening Day starter. Manager Kevin Cash noted it was a "pretty easy choice." McClanahan missed the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery he underwent in August 2023. The southpaw made the All-Star game in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. He enjoyed his best campaign in 2022, where he held a 2.54 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP across 166 1/3 innings. He tallied 194 punchouts and only served up 38 free passes. Then, in 2023, McClanahan posted a 3.29 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP across 115 innings of work. The left-hander is not expected to face any restrictions during spring training, but he may be given a slight innings limit during the regular season. Nonetheless, fantasy managers should draft McClanahan when looking for strikeout upside.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin
1 month agoTampa Bay Rays left-hander
Shane McClanahan (elbow) told Bally Sports Florida's Ryan Bass on Wednesday morning that he is "100%" ready to go for spring training with zero restrictions. McClanahan was seen on Wednesday throwing warm-up tosses before his first bullpen session of spring training. The 27-year-old southpaw starter had Tommy John surgery in August of 2023 and missed all of 2024 as a result. The former first-rounder and two-time All-Star has already exhibited ace potential for fantasy managers, but his draft stock will be down in 2025 since he's expected to be limited to around 150 innings this year. In his three years in the big leagues with the Rays, McClanahan has gone 33-16 with a 3.02 ERA (3.36 FIP), a 1.10 WHIP and 456:116 K:BB in 404 2/3 frames over 74 starts. Fantasy managers should treat him as a low-end No. 3 starter/high-end No. 4 starter in upcoming drafts.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Bally Sports Florida - Ryan Bass
3 months agoTampa Bay Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander said on MLB Network that the team expects left-hander
Shane McClanahan (elbow) to throw "150-ish" innings in his return to action in 2025. McClanahan had his second Tommy John surgery in August of 2023 and didn't pitch at all for the Rays this past season as a result. However, the 27-year-old southpaw has been working through a normal offseason throwing program and should be ready to go in 2025, barring a setback. Look no further than right-hander
Walker Buehler's struggles in 2024 in his return from a second Tommy John surgery to see the risks involved with rostering McClanahan in fantasy in 2025. Before his second elbow surgery, McClanahan was a fantasy ace, though, making back-to-back All-Star teams in 2022 and 2023 and finishing sixth in the AL Cy Young voting in 2022.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB Network
4 months agoTampa Bay Rays left-hander
Shane McClanahan (elbow) is expected to have a normal, healthy offseason after completing his rehab program from Tommy John Surgery on Sept. 25 by throwing 15 to 16 pitches in a live batting practice session at Tropicana Field. McClanahan looked good during that session and was hitting 94 to 95 mph. He had his second TJ surgery back on Aug. 21 of 2023 and missed the entire 2024 season for the Rays. The 27-year-old southpaw has been an All-Star twice and is expected to be fully ready for the start of spring training in February. As long as he doesn't have any setbacks during the spring, McClanahan will open the start of the 2025 regular season atop Tampa's starting rotation. Although McClanahan has high-end fantasy upside when healthy, he'll also probably be on a strict pitch count early on.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
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