(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Rays have been without their ace in left-hander Shane McClanahan for about two weeks.
Last week, it was revealed that McClanahan had suffered an elbow injury and would miss the remainder of the 2023 season.
However, more bad news came on Tuesday when Rays manager Kevin Cash revealed that McClanahan would indeed need Tommy John surgery, which will not only sideline him for the rest of this season, but also all of next season.
On Twitter, MLB writer Bob Nightengale confirmed the report from the team regarding McClanahan’s Tommy John surgery and that he would be undergoing the surgery next week.
Tampa Bay #Rays ace Shane McClanahan not only will miss all of this season, but also the entire 2024 season. He will undergo Tommy John surgery next week, the Rays announce.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 15, 2023
This is some tough news for the Rays, who have been one of baseball’s best teams this year.
They own a 72-50 record and are only three games back of first place in the AL East.
However, McClanahan’s injury is the latest casualty for the Rays pitching staff.
Drew Rasmussen and Jeffrey Springs are both out for the season, so the Rays will have some holes to fill from within the organization in order to get through the rest of the season.
Tampa Bay currently leads the American League Wild Card race, but they have been struggling a little bit, having gone just 5-5 in their last 10 games.
Now, things get even more complicated without McClanahan for the remainder of the season.
The Rays still do have Tyler Glasnow, but the rotation has taken several hits this season, and those hits have put them in somewhat of a perilous position.
The post Rays Get More Tough News On Shane McClanahan appeared first on The Cold Wire.