Tampa Bay Rays lefty Shane McClanahan (back) left his Thursday start prematurely after experiencing mid-back tightness in the fourth inning. Manager Kevin Cash said the team will know more about the issue in the coming days, but the 23-year-old ace is confident this won't be a lingering issue and hopes to make his next start. That's great news for fantasy managers, as McClanahan's become one of the best pitchers in the game and owns a 2.23 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 26.7% strikeout rate with an 11-1 record already through 16 starts. Stay tuned for more updates.

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan (back) was removed from Thursday's game against the Kansas Royals with mid-back tightness. The 26-year-old was pulled in the fourth inning after a visit from the trainers. He allowed two runs on four hits and two walks while striking out three across 3 2/3 innings before exiting. The severity of McClanhan's injury is unclear, and he is considered day-to-day for now. He has been terrific this season, posting a 2.23 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and a 100:35 K: BB across 93 innings. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor the situation, as the Rays will provide an update on McClanahan after Thursday's game.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan tossed six and two-thirds innings of one-run ball on Friday against the San Diego Padres. The 26-year-old struck out five batters en route to his 11th win of the season during the team's 6-2 victory. McClanahan is riding the wave of complete fantasy excellence with his strong play coupled by a healthy dose of run support. The 2022 All-Star boasts an MLB-best 2.12 ERA with 97 punchouts over 89 1/3 innings this year. McClanahan has surrendered one run or less in nine of his starts this campaign. The hard-throwing southpaw may be overachieving just a smidgen with a subpar 9.8% walk rate, but it may not be enough to justify a sell-high case. McClanahan takes the mound sometime during next week's four-game series with the Kansas City Royals, a cushy draw at that.

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan continued his dominance on the mound on Monday in a 4-1 win over the Boston Red Sox. McClanahan allowed one run on five hits over six innings while striking out five and walking two. The win improves the southpaw's record to 9-1 on the year, to go along with a 2.02 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 87 strikeouts over 75 2/3 innings of work. McClanahan is the first pitcher in MLB to reach nine wins this season. He will remain a must-start in fantasy for his next start, which will come against the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan turned in another strong start in Monday's 3-0 win over the Orioles. McClanahan pitched 6 innings, allowing four hits and four walks with seven strikeouts. The 26-year-old has been fantastic this season, going 7-0 with a 1.76 ERA, 11.35 K/9 rate, and 3.91 BB/9 rate in eight starts. The walks have been up, but McClanahan has been as consistent as any starter this season and has given fantasy managers stellar results. His next start will be at the Yankees, but McClanahan is matchup-proof at this point.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash confirmed on Friday that starting pitcher Shane McClanahan will start on Opening Day next Thursday, March 30, against the Detroit Tigers. It's the obvious choice, as McClanahan was one of the best pitchers in all of baseball in 2022 in just his second MLB season. He went 12-8 with a 2.54 ERA (3.00 FIP), 0.93 WHIP and 30.3 percent strikeout rate in 166 1/3 innings over 28 starts for the Rays. The 25-year-old will be a must-start in fantasy in a good matchup against Detroit in his first outing of 2023. We know that McClanahan can strike out hitters with the best of them, but can he stay healthy for an entire season?

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan didn't have his best start of the season on Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Rays ace gave up six hits, four earned runs, three home runs, and a pair of walks in five innings against Toronto. He also struck out a pair of batters on the day and logged nine swinging strikes to go along with a 25% CSW rate on 76 pitches. The 25-year-old has provided elite production for both the Rays and fantasy managers this season, pitching to a 2.51 ERA, a 3.01 FIP, 192 strikeouts, and 37 walks in 161.1 innings.

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan (neck) fully expects to make his next scheduled start after leaving the game early on Tuesday against the Houston Astros with left neck tightness. Before leaving on Tuesday, he surrendered five runs on five hits while walking four and striking out three in four innings. It was the 25-year-old southpaw's second start back from the injured list for a left shoulder impingement, so the Rays weren't taking any chances with the All-Star hurler. If he's not pushed back at all, McClanahan lines up to pitch again against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. He's now 12-6 on the year with a 2.36 ERA (2.74 FIP), a 0.89 WHIP, 190 K's and 35 walks in 156 1/3 innings over his 26 starts in his second big-league season.

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan (shoulder) was removed from his start early on Tuesday against the Houston Astros due to left shoulder discomfort after manager Kevin Cash and athletic trainer Mike Sandoval went to check on him. Hopefully this was just a precaution, but the 25-year-old All-Star was also making just his second start after returning from a three-week absence due to a left shoulder impingement. Before leaving, McClanahan was beat up to the tune of five earned runs on five hits (one homer) while walking four and striking out three in four innings. Fantasy managers will have to check back for more updates on his status, but with time running out in the regular season, the Rays could elect to let McClanahan rest until a possible postseason run.

The Tampa Bay Rays are set to reinstate left-hander Shane McClanahan (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to have him start on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. McClanahan was eyeing a Thursday start after he threw a successful 50-pitch simulated game last Friday. The 25-year-old All-Star didn't make a minor league rehab start, though, so he could be on a shorter leash in his first big-league start since Aug. 30. Fantasy managers should be stoked about his return for the final stretch of the regular season, though. Before his injury, McClanahan was one of the best pitchers in all of baseball in 2022, going 11-5 with a 2.20 ERA (2.64 FIP), a 0.86 WHIP, 182 strikeouts and 30 walks in 147 1/3 innings over 24 starts in his second MLB season.

Tampa Bay Rays left-hander Shane McClanahan (shoulder) will likely make his return from the injured list to start the series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, Sept. 15, after missing the minimum 15 days on the injured list. McClanahan threw a simulated game of around 50 pitches at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 9 and came out of it feeling "really good." The All-Star southpaw landed on the IL on Aug. 31, a day after he was scratched from his start against the Miami Marlins. "I think I made the right decision to shut it down early when it was still very, very minor," McClanahan said. "And I think I'm seeing that benefit right now." The 25-year-old has gone 11-5 this year with a 2.20 ERA (2.64 FIP), a 0.86 WHIP and 182 strikeouts in 147 1/3 innings over 24 starts for the Rays in 2022.

Tampa Bay Rays left-handed pitcher Shane McClanahan (shoulder) threw a bullpen session on Friday and could be ready to get back into the rotation when he is first eligible on Thursday against the Toronto Blue Jays. This is huge news for the Rays and fantasy owners, who could get their ace back at a crucial time in the season. After a few rough outings at the end of July and start of August, Shane O'Mac looked like his dominant self over his final three starts before being put on the IL, posting 1.89 ERA and 1.05 WHIP while striking out 21 batters in 19 innings pitched. Even with a tough matchup and a possible innings limit, McClanahan should be started in most leagues if he does pitch next week.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (shoulder) threw 15-20 pitches off the mound Tuesday and felt good, per Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin. The bullpen session comprised fastballs and changeups. The 25-year-old landed on the injured list at the end of August with a left shoulder impingement, so he is progressing nicely. He should throw another bullpen session in a few days and could be reinserted into the rotation in mid-September if everything goes well. This is great news for the Rays and fantasy managers, as McClanahan has been excellent this season with a 2.20 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 32.5% strikeout rate in 24 starts,

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that an MRI exam on left-hander Shane McClanahan's shoulder confirmed the diagnosis of an impingement, which is a "best-case scenario." McClanahan will receive a cortisone shot and could return from the injured list in 15 days. It's excellent news for both fantasy managers and the Rays, as the 25-year-old southpaw has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball this year. Still, even if he returns when eligible, there won't be much time left for him to make an impact in fantasy leagues down the stretch. In just his second major league season, McClanahan has gone 11-5 with a 2.20 ERA (2.65 FIP), a 0.86 WHIP and a 182:30 K:BB in 147 1/3 innings over 24 starts.

The Tampa Bay Rays placed left-handed starter Shane McClanahan (shoulder) on the 15-day injured list on Wednesday due to a left shoulder impingement. The 25-year-old was in the midst of a strong season, both for the Rays and for fantasy managers, before the injury. In 147.1 innings of work, McClanahan struck out 182 batters compared to just 30 walks and 15 home runs allowed. He also logged a 2.20 ERA and a 2.65 FIP in those 147.1 innings. Tampa Bay's other rotation options include Corey Kluber, Drew Rasmussen, Jeffrey Springs, Luis Patino, and Ryan Yarbrough.

Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said that both he and starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (shoulder) are "optimistic" that the 25-year-old will not have to miss much time with a left shoulder impingement, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. McClanahan did not feel right following his pregame bullpen session Tuesday and was scratched minutes before the game against the Marlins started, so the optimism is very good news for both the Rays and fantasy managers. An MRI and further evaluation are planned for Wednesday, and McClanahan could potentially miss just two weeks if everything is diagnosed as expected. This best-case scenario would still be a blow to fantasy managers heading into the fantasy playoffs, as McClanahan has been a stud with an 11-5 record, 2.20 ERA, and 11.12 K/9 rate through 24 starts.

Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan (shoulder) was diagnosed with a left shoulder impingement after being scratched from Tuesday's start against the Miami Marlins. He reportedly sustained a shoulder impingement following his pregame bullpen session. The 25-year-old is considered day-to-day and will undergo further evaluation after the game. Before the injury, McClanahan is a top candidate to win the 2022 American League CY Young Award. The southpaw posted an 11-5 record with a 2.20 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and a 182:30 K: BB across 147 1/3 innings in 2022. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring the situation. Stay tuned for further updates.

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan gave up five earned runs on seven hits and three walks to the Cleveland Guardians Sunday, the most he has allowed in a start this season. He struck out four batters in his 4 1/3 innings, taking the loss to drop his record to 10-4 this season. With a 2.07 ERA and 0.83 WHIP with 158 strikeouts in 122 innings this season, fantasy managers can be confident that this is merely a bump in the round for the dominant young left-hander.

There are very few starting pitchers in Major League Baseball who have enjoyed a better start to 2022 than Tampa Bay Rays ace Shane McClanahan. Through the first eight weeks of the season, McClanahan ranks in the 95th percentile in whiff rate, the 91st percentile in chase rate, the 98th percentile in strikeout rate and the 94th percentile for xwOBA. Additionally, after ranking in the bottom two percentile for average exit velocity last season, McClanahan is giving up an average exit velocity of just 87.5 mph on his pitches this season. McClanahan is a must-start every time that he makes a pitching appearance.