PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. — There have been a ton of smiles this week at the Charlotte Sports Complex, the spring training home of the Tampa Bay Rays, as pitchers and catchers reported. Perhaps the brightest smile of all came from Shane McClanahan on Thursday.
What You Need To Know
Shane McClanahan is a starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays
He has missed the last two seasons because of injury
Prior to the injury, he was one of the best pitchers in baseball and a two-time All-Star
McClanahan has rejoined his teammates in Port Charlotte, with pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training
McClanahan has missed the past two full seasons because of injuries. Last spring, he could not feel his fingers in his left hand. Now, he’s throwing a baseball and doing what he loves here at spring training.
“It’s crazy how much you miss this, just the little things like the playing catch, being around the guys, the working out and, you know, just enjoying the game again,” McClanahan said.
After a strong rookie year, McClanahan caught fire in 2022, posting an earned run average under 2.00 in the first half of the season, and was the American League starting pitcher in the All-Star Game. In 2023, he had an 11-2 record until August, when he experienced forearm tightness. Tommy John surgery ended his season and started a long road to recovery.
SPRING TRAINING ⚾️
Rays manager Kevin Cash and president of baseball operations Erik Neander talking after the first workout for pitchers and catchers.
Cash was happy to see a ton of position players here as well, many of them getting ready for the WBC too! @SpecSports360 @BN9 pic.twitter.com/1UBggta568
— Michael Epps (@MichaelEppsTV) February 12, 2026
“It gives me a better appreciation for what I’ve missed,” he said. “I’ve missed the little things being in the clubhouse with the guys and the bus rides out to the fields, the plane rides, like you obviously missed playing, but you don’t realize, I think until you get it taken away from you, how special this atmosphere is.”
McClanahan got off to a good start in last year’s spring training, but a triceps injury uncovered a nerve issue that required surgery, keeping him out.
Now, the flame-throwing lefty is finally back. He told the media on Thursday that his arm feels good, he had a normal offseason workout program and is still being careful but is ready to get back out on the mound and in front of Rays fans.
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“I mean they’re gonna see me on the mound, which is different from the past two years, but no, I think they’re still gonna see that same guy that loves this community loves this team, loves to win,” McClanahan said.
His fellow pitchers are excited for him to play, too.
“His presence and having that type of pitcher back in the rotation, that’s only gonna make us better, and we’re gonna try to do what we can so that he doesn’t have to take the brunt of the load and try to be the guy, the two-time All-Star that he is, and he can kinda ease himself back into it after not pitching for a while. But I’ve seen him throw a lot on TV and it’s nasty, so I’m excited to see it from the dugout,” Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepoit said.
McClanahan is expected to lead a revamped rotation, with Drew Rasmussen and Pepoit returning and a couple new faces in Nick Martinez and Steven Matz joining them.