Shane McClanahan Suffers Triceps Injury, Undergoes Testing

Shane McClanahan, the Tampa Bay Rays' left-handed pitcher, is set to miss the start of the regular season due to an inflamed nerve in his left triceps, following an early exit from his final spring training game against the Boston Red Sox. Manager Kevin Cash described the diagnosis as 'probably the best news that we could have heard,' despite the uncertainty surrounding McClanahan's recovery timeline after undergoing two Tommy John surgeries. The injury occurred when McClanahan grimaced in pain while throwing a pitch, leading to immediate evaluation by the training staff. Prior to this setback, he had shown promising performance in spring training, with 4.2 scoreless innings across two games. The team is awaiting further imaging results to assess the severity of the injury and provide a clearer timeline for his return. McClanahan's absence is a significant blow to the Rays, as he was previously announced as the starting pitcher for the season opener on March 28.