The Tampa Bay Rays are just four wins away from reaching the World Series, but they'll have to get there without one of their most accomplished pitchers.
As Tampa Bay prepares to face the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series on Monday, October 12, questions have surrounded the availability of two-time All-Star Shane McClanahan.
The left-hander has been sidelined since early September with forearm tightness, leaving open the possibility that he could return for the most important games of the season.
However, the Rays have now provided a definitive answer.
Manager Kevin Cash confirmed Sunday that McClanahan will not pitch in the ALCS or any remaining postseason games, ending his comeback season after 24 starts.
The news is a disappointing development for McClanahan, who had finally returned to the mound this year after missing the previous two seasons with injuries.
According to MLB.com's coverage of Cash's Sunday announcement , the Rays have decided to shut McClanahan down for the remainder of the 2026 postseason.
The decision is interesting, as Cash described the veteran pitcher as healthy.
"Shane is done for the season. He's a healthy pitcher," Cash said.
The Rays manager praised McClanahan for everything he contributed during a successful comeback campaign, noting that the organization hadn't expected him to handle such a significant workload following his prolonged absence.
McClanahan finished the regular season with a 10-7 record, a 3.36 ERA and 106 strikeouts across 118 innings.He made 24 starts, an impressive achievement considering the series of injuries that had kept him away from major league competition.
His manager also suggested that he deserves to be considered for the American League Comeback Player of the Year award.
Ultimately, the team is prioritizing McClanahan's long-term health over their current playoff run after he logged 118 innings following two years away from the mound.
Cash said Sunday that the club felt shutting him down was the best decision given his recent medical history and the innings he had already accumulated.
McClanahan is expected to remain with the team throughout its postseason run, supporting his teammates as they pursue a championship.
Although losing McClanahan is a significant blow, Tampa Bay still has several capable starting pitchers available for the best-of-seven series against Cleveland.
The Rays have already confirmed that Drew Rasmussen will start Game 1 on Monday night at Tropicana Field. Rasmussen enjoyed an excellent regular season, posting a 2.67 ERA across 172 innings.
He also delivered an outstanding performance in Game 1 of Tampa Bay's ALDS matchup against the New York Yankees , carrying a no-hitter into the eighth inning while recording 10 strikeouts.
The Rays ultimately swept New York in three games to advance to the ALCS.
Beyond Rasmussen, Tampa Bay has several options to complete its postseason rotation.
According to MLB.com , Freddy Peralta and Nick Martinez are expected to feature in the rotation, while Griffin Jax and Ian Seymour could compete for the remaining starting role.
The pitcher who doesn't start could provide additional depth out of the bullpen.
The longer ALCS format will test Tampa Bay's pitching depth more than its three-game sweep of the Yankees. McClanahan's absence will be another challenge for the Rays to overcome if they want to reach the World Series for the first time since 2020.
Game 1 against Cleveland is scheduled for Monday, October 12, at 8 p.m. ET.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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