Rays Place Shane McClanahan On Injured List

Key Points:

• The Tampa Bay Rays have placed left-handed pitcher Shane McClanahan on the 15-day injured list due to lower back discomfort, with hopes he will miss only two starts, according to team president Erik Neander.
• Right-handed pitcher Alex Cook will be recalled for his major league debut as part of the corresponding roster move; however, Cook is primarily a bullpen prospect and not expected to fill McClanahan’s rotation spot.
• McClanahan, a former Cy Young candidate who missed the entire 2024-25 seasons after UCL surgery, has shown top-of-the-rotation performance when healthy, but the team is managing his workload carefully given his recent injury history.
• The Rays’ rotation will continue with Drew Rasmussen, Nick Martinez, Griffin Jax, and Ian Seymour, while the team remains active in seeking additional pitching help, including interest in trade targets like Tarik Skubal.
• Alex Cook, drafted in 2022, has been effective in Triple-A Durham with a 3.78 ERA and a strong strikeout rate, showcasing a fastball averaging over 95 mph and complementary secondary pitches.