ST. PETERSBURG — Shane McClanahan pitched into the seventh inning for the first time since June 16, 2023, holding the New York Yankees scoreless for 6 1/3 innings as the Tampa Bay Rays rolled to a 3-0 victory at Tropicana Field and stretched their American League East lead to five games.
The two-time All-Star struck out five, did not issue a walk for the second consecutive start and threw 59 strikes among 85 total pitches, delivering 17 first-pitch strikes to the 22 batters he faced. His four-seam fastball averaged 96.7 mph — matching his full-season average from 2022 — and topped out at 98.9 mph. His changeup generated nine of his 12 swinging strikes and finished four of his five strikeouts.
“Everything he did tonight was pretty spectacular,” manager Kevin Cash said of McClanahan.
McClanahan, who lost two and a half seasons to significant injuries, heads into the All-Star break with a 2.83 ERA in 17 starts and 86 innings pitched. The Rays are managing his workload carefully — he is unlikely to throw more than 150 innings this season — slotting in extra rest days and a bullpen game in Houston to give him two additional days before the start.
“If I’m here, why not find out how good I can be?” McClanahan said. He called the first half a time for reflection: “I think this is a time for reflection for myself and just be super grateful and understand that this wasn’t promised, this wasn’t guaranteed. Worked my butt off every single day and trusted the guys here, and really, really pleased with how this first half has gone.”
McClanahan also made a run-saving defensive play in the second inning, fielding a comebacker from Max Schuemann and flipping it from his glove to catcher Nick Fortes, who tagged out Jasson Domínguez at the plate. “To be able to prove myself and show what I’ve been working on and kind of show who I am, it was nice,” McClanahan said. “To keep a run off the board was huge.”
Fortes offered his own assessment of the left-hander’s return. “I think we all kind of assumed that it was going to take a little bit for him to get his feet under him. He’s been unbelievable,” Fortes said. “He’ll tell you that he probably hasn’t been great, but from us looking at it, he’s one of the best starting pitchers in the game, especially lefties.”
The top of the Rays’ lineup provided the offense against Yankees starter Gerrit Cole. Yandy Díaz went 4-for-4, and Jonathan Aranda finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs. “I did not handle the top two guys well,” Cole said. “With that said, Yandy just had a great night, and so did Aranda. They’re great hitters. I wish I made it a little tougher on them.”
The Rays need just one more victory to clinch the season series against New York. They send All-Star Drew Rasmussen to the mound for the series finale Thursday, backed by a pitching staff that has racked up 45 strikeouts with only two walks over the past three games.