Two-time All-Star and Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan returned to the mound for the first time since spring training and worked one hitless inning on Tuesday in a Florida Complex League game.

The 28-year old southpaw faced four batters, fanning one and walking one in his first step towards pitching in the majors for the first time since August 2023.

Recovering from Tommy John surgery after missing the entire 2024 campaign, McClanahan was slated to start the Rays’ opener of the 2025 season. But he suffered an inflamed nerve in his left triceps in his last action of the spring and was placed on the injured list.

Rays’ manager Kevin Cash was in contact with assistant pitching and rehab coach Rick Knapp and received the positive report.

“He went out there, controlled himself. He was excited to get out and face hitters,” Cash said of the McClanahan’s outing, which Knapp categorized as ‘a very pro effort.’

“I texted back and forth with Mac, and I think that (it was) a big first step for him.”

McClanahan was the 31st overall selection in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. He debuted with the Rays in the 2020 American League Division Series vs. the Yankees.

McClanahan made the All-Star teams in 2022 and 2023. In 2022, he posted a 2.54 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings. He was off to a brilliant start in 2023, registering a 11-2 record with 121 K’s in 115 innings, but went on the injured list on August 12 and underwent surgery later that month.

–Field Level Media