Deadspin | Rays’ Shane McClanahan takes next step on comeback trail as Twins await 
Apr 6, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Tampa Bay left-hander Shane McClanahan will continue his comeback from two major arm surgeries on Saturday afternoon when the Rays face the Minnesota Twins in the second game of a three-game series in St. Petersburg, Fla.
McClanahan (1-2, 5.00 ERA), a two-time All-Star, missed over two seasons with injuries. He was 11-2 with a 3.29 ERA in 21 starts in 2023 before he underwent Tommy John surgery that August.
After missing the entire 2024 season while rehabbing, McClanahan suffered a left triceps injury in a 2025 spring training game. He eventually underwent surgery to repair nerves in his triceps area, causing him to miss a second straight season.
Saturday will mark McClanahan’s fifth start of 2026. He comes in off a 6-3 loss at Pittsburgh last Sunday in a game in which he allowed four runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, with no walks and five strikeouts.
Perhaps the more important stats, however, came on the radar gun. McClanahan’s velocity improved to an average of 95.5 mph on his fastball, and he had seven pitches that touched 97 mph or more. He had accomplished that feat just twice in his first three outings.
“I felt today was probably the best I’ve thrown all year — in a really long time, for that matter,” McClanahan, 28, told MLB.com. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t go your way sometimes. Obviously, it was a great step (and) felt good, but I want to win.”
“I was very encouraged by Shane’s outing,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “The velocity alone was encouraging to see. Very happy. I think he took a big step.”
Minnesota has lost seven of the past eight games. Tampa Bay enters action on Saturday in second place in the American League East, just 2 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees. Should McClanahan return to his old form, the Rays figure to have a big say in the division title race.
Tampa Bay opened the series vs. Minnesota with a 6-2 victory on Friday as Junior Caminero hit a pair of tape-measure homers and drove in three runs, and Jonathan Aranda also homered twice. Drew Rasmussen picked up his second win, allowing one run on five hits and a walk over six innings while striking out six.
All four of the home runs came off Twins starter and ex-Rays pitcher Taj Bradley, who hadn’t allowed a homer in his five previous starts while compiling a glossy 1.63 ERA.
“I didn’t know he hadn’t given up a homer, but it makes sense because his stuff is really good right now,” Cash said. “We were fortunate that we could get some pitches that we could handle and put some really good swings on them. Two powerful guys (Caminero and Aranda) who were behind the ball and knocked them a long ways.”
Caminero’s first home run traveled 450-feet over the batter’s eye in center field. His second caromed near the top of the batter’s eye and traveled “only” 435 feet.
“Those weren’t cheap ones that Caminero hit,” Minnesota manager Derek Shelton said. “This kid (age 22) is going to be one of the best young hitters in the game for a long time. Tonight, he showed why.”
Right-hander Bailey Ober (2-0, 4.15 ERA) will be tasked with turning off the Rays’ power on Saturday. He allowed just an unearned run and three hits while striking out 10 over 6 1/3 innings in his most recent start Sunday against Cincinnati. He wasn’t part of the decision in a 7-4, 10-inning loss after departing with a 2-1 lead.
Ober is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in two career starts against Tampa Bay. He pitched against them on April 3 and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks in a no-decision in his team’s 10-4 win.
McClanahan is 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA against the Twins, though he has not pitched against them since 2022.
The Rays took two of three games in the teams’ early April series in Minneapolis.
–Field Level Media
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Apr 6, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Tampa Bay left-hander Shane McClanahan will continue his comeback from two major arm surgeries on Saturday afternoon when the Rays face the Minnesota Twins in the second game of a three-game series in St. Petersburg, Fla.
McClanahan (1-2, 5.00 ERA), a two-time All-Star, missed over two seasons with injuries. He was 11-2 with a 3.29 ERA in 21 starts in 2023 before he underwent Tommy John surgery that August.
After missing the entire 2024 season while rehabbing, McClanahan suffered a left triceps injury in a 2025 spring training game. He eventually underwent surgery to repair nerves in his triceps area, causing him to miss a second straight season.
Saturday will mark McClanahan’s fifth start of 2026. He comes in off a 6-3 loss at Pittsburgh last Sunday in a game in which he allowed four runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings, with no walks and five strikeouts.
Perhaps the more important stats, however, came on the radar gun. McClanahan’s velocity improved to an average of 95.5 mph on his fastball, and he had seven pitches that touched 97 mph or more. He had accomplished that feat just twice in his first three outings.
“I felt today was probably the best I’ve thrown all year — in a really long time, for that matter,” McClanahan, 28, told MLB.com. “Unfortunately, it doesn’t go your way sometimes. Obviously, it was a great step (and) felt good, but I want to win.”
“I was very encouraged by Shane’s outing,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “The velocity alone was encouraging to see. Very happy. I think he took a big step.”
Minnesota has lost seven of the past eight games. Tampa Bay enters action on Saturday in second place in the American League East, just 2 1/2 games behind the New York Yankees. Should McClanahan return to his old form, the Rays figure to have a big say in the division title race.
Tampa Bay opened the series vs. Minnesota with a 6-2 victory on Friday as Junior Caminero hit a pair of tape-measure homers and drove in three runs, and Jonathan Aranda also homered twice. Drew Rasmussen picked up his second win, allowing one run on five hits and a walk over six innings while striking out six.
All four of the home runs came off Twins starter and ex-Rays pitcher Taj Bradley, who hadn’t allowed a homer in his five previous starts while compiling a glossy 1.63 ERA.
“I didn’t know he hadn’t given up a homer, but it makes sense because his stuff is really good right now,” Cash said. “We were fortunate that we could get some pitches that we could handle and put some really good swings on them. Two powerful guys (Caminero and Aranda) who were behind the ball and knocked them a long ways.”
Caminero’s first home run traveled 450-feet over the batter’s eye in center field. His second caromed near the top of the batter’s eye and traveled “only” 435 feet.
“Those weren’t cheap ones that Caminero hit,” Minnesota manager Derek Shelton said. “This kid (age 22) is going to be one of the best young hitters in the game for a long time. Tonight, he showed why.”
Right-hander Bailey Ober (2-0, 4.15 ERA) will be tasked with turning off the Rays’ power on Saturday. He allowed just an unearned run and three hits while striking out 10 over 6 1/3 innings in his most recent start Sunday against Cincinnati. He wasn’t part of the decision in a 7-4, 10-inning loss after departing with a 2-1 lead.
Ober is 0-1 with a 5.79 ERA in two career starts against Tampa Bay. He pitched against them on April 3 and allowed three runs on four hits and two walks in a no-decision in his team’s 10-4 win.
McClanahan is 1-1 with a 4.35 ERA against the Twins, though he has not pitched against them since 2022.
The Rays took two of three games in the teams’ early April series in Minneapolis.
–Field Level Media
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