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Rays 2-time All-Star awarded Opening Day start

ByMason Stacy|
Jul 19, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; American League starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after pitching in the second inning against the National League at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Jul 19, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; American League starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after pitching in the second inning against the National League at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

For the third time since 2022, Shane McClanahan will be the Rays starting pitcher for game one of 162. His last two Opening Day starts resulted in Tampa Bay victories, as the left-handed ace allowed zero runs in 10.1 innings and combined for 13 strikeouts. Now, after his 2024 absence due to injury recovery, McClanahan will be back at the helm for the Rays as they look to start the season 1-0.

The Rays drafted Shane McClanahan in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft out of the University of South Florida. The Baltimore native dashed through the minor league ranks, as he only needed 26 starts before making his MLB debut in the 2020 playoffs. The 2020 season was clearly a unique one and the Rays decided to give the 23-year old a shot to prove himself on the biggest stage.

On Tampa's run to the World Series, McClanahan was added to the roster as a depth relief option. He had an up-and-down 2020 postseason and struggled mostly during his 1.2 innings in the ALCS against the Houston Astros. In that short outing, McClanahan recorded a 16.20 ERA by giving up three runs, including a home run off of new Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker.

We're sure that the lefty ace will admit that his experience in 2020 prepared him for where he is as a pitcher today. In his rookie campaign in 2021, McClanahan finished seventh in Rookie of the Year voting as he earned 10 wins and struck out 141 opponents.

As mentioned earlier, the next two seasons saw the hard-throwing lefty start on Opening Day and even pitch in the Midsummer Classic. In fact, McClanahan was the starter for the American League in the 2022 All-Star Game. Shane McClanahan led all major league pitchers in ERA (1.77) and strikeouts (123) from April to July of the 2022 season.

Now that he has officially recovered from Tommy John surgery, the Rays couldn't be more excited to watch this hurler throw against the Colorado Rockies on March 28th. He gives this ball club a significant chance to win each time he toes the rubber, so it should be yet another entertaining showing on this 2025 edition of Opening Day.

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