Tampa Bay Rays to promote Shane McClanahan

The Tampa Bay Rays are planning to promote hard-throwing left-handed pitcher Shane McClanahan to be their starting pitcher for Thursday’s afternoon series finale against the Oakland Athletics.

The former first round draft pick, McClanahan, has yet to officially make his big league debut during the regular season. However, he made Major League history as the first pitcher to make his debut during the playoffs. Overall, he appeared in four games, registering 4 ¹⁄₃ innings pitched and allowed five runs on eight hits, picking up four strikeouts and walking two.

Thus far in the young 2021 season, the Rays have not shied away from using their prized top pitching prospects with Brent Honeywell and Luis Patino having already made appearances for the team, with the latter remaining with the Rays for the foreseeable future.

McClanahan was primarily used in relief during his postseason tenure with the Rays this past October. However, the Rays brought him into camp this spring with the intention of converting him back into a starting pitcher. So far at the Rays’ alternate training site, McClanahan has been able to lengthen himself out to 4-5 innings.

Today is McClanahan’s 24th birthday, and he will celebrate it as a big leaguer in the Tampa Bay Rays clubhouse.

The corresponding roster move has not yet been announced.