Rays ace Shane McClanahan given considerable odds to win first Cy Young award in 2025

FanDuel Sportsbook started their annual betting analysis for the 2025 season. In regards to the American League Cy Young award, there is some notable competition among AL aces for the upcoming season. 2024 winner, Tarik Skubal will still be leading a hungry Tigers club. Along with him, left-handed aces Garrett Crochet and Cole Ragans will certainly take a shot at the trophy. We also can't forget about the 2023 Cy Young winner, Gerrit Cole and arguably the most talented pitcher on this list, Jacob DeGrom will be making his long-awaited return to the mound.

However you mix and match these gifted starters, it will ultimately come down to who has the most success and who stays healthy throughout the marathon of the MLB season. As Rays ace Shane McClanahan returns from Tommy John surgery, you must consider him for this award after three impressive seasons in Tampa Bay. FanDuel gives the USF product +2000 odds for the AL Cy Young, ahead of Mariners' star-studded hurlers, George Kirby and Luis Castillo.

These are respectable odds for the 27-year old, as he's coming off of back-to-back all-star appearances in 2022 and 2023. One factor that is against McClanahan is the fact that he hasn't toed the rubber since August 12, 2023. Although, the lefty's tenacity and hunger will definitely give him an edge when he makes his return this coming season. There is no question that the Rays 2018 first round pick will give his most concerted effort.

As we approach the 2025 campaign, what exactly can we expect from the left-hander? Well, we can look to the history of players that have returned to the big leagues after Tommy John surgery. Data shows that the surgery has an 80-90% success rate among pitchers.

A recent triumphant story includes former Rays starter, Nathan Eovaldi, who has appeared in two All-Star games (2021 and 2023) after undergoing two separate Tommy John surgeries in 2007 and 2016 respectively.

Therefore, there is no doubt that McClanahan can not only have a successful rest of his career, but also play for the coveted Cy Young award. In 2022, he finished 6th in voting behind Framber Valdez, Shohei Ohtani, Alek Manoah, Dylan Cease, and the AL winner, Justin Verlander. In fact, McClanahan recorded more strikeouts (194) than Verlander (185) in the 2022 season. There's going to be much more to the legacy of Shane McClanahan, so here's to a masterful 2025 season.