Rays Shut Down Shane McClanahan for Remainder of Postseason with Left Forearm Tightness

The Tampa Bay Rays have shut down left-hander Shane McClanahan for the rest of the postseason because of left forearm tightness, manager Kevin Cash announced Sunday, according to MLB.com, removing one of the club’s top starters on the eve of the AL Championship Series.

The decision means McClanahan will not be available for the ALCS against the Cleveland Guardians, which opens Monday at Tropicana Field, and he also would be out for the World Series if Tampa Bay advances.

McClanahan has not pitched since Sept. 3, when he left a start against the Texas Rangers after feeling tightness in his left forearm. The Rays placed him on the injured list the next day with left forearm tightness. There had been some earlier hope he could return later in October, but that possibility is now over. Cash had already indicated in late September that McClanahan was “not in play” for the AL Division Series roster, and Sunday’s update ended any remaining chance of a postseason return this year.

Without McClanahan, Tampa Bay is turning to Drew Rasmussen for Game 1 of the ALCS. MLB.com reported the Rays are expected to use a four-man rotation for the series: Rasmussen, Freddy Peralta, Nick Martinez, and either Griffin Jax or Ian Seymour in the fourth spot. The change leaves the Rays opening a best-of-seven series without a frontline left-hander they had hoped might still factor into their October pitching plans.

That matters because McClanahan, when healthy, has been one of Tampa Bay’s most important starters. In 24 starts during the 2026 regular season, he went 10-7 with a 3.36 ERA, 118 innings, 106 strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP. The latest setback also carries added weight because McClanahan underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2023 and has had significant recent arm-related absences, making any forearm issue notable even as the Rays and MLB.com described this episode only as left forearm tightness.