Headlines

  • Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.
  • Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment
  • Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Braves Select Craig Kimbrel
  • Jerry Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia Reach Agreement For Ishbia To Obtain Future Majority Stake In White Sox
  • White Sox To Promote Kyle Teel
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2025
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Rays, Shane McClanahan Agree To Two-Year Deal

By Steve Adams | January 11, 2024 at 12:48pm CDT

The Rays have agreed to a two-year, $7.2MM contract with ace Shane McClanahan, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. It’ll buy out the left-hander’s first two seasons of arbitration. McClanahan, who underwent Tommy John surgery in August, will spend the bulk of the contract’s first year rehabbing. He’d been projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $3.6MM this coming season, based on the strength of his pre-arbitration platform. Murray adds that McClanahan’s 2025 salary will be boosted by $120K for every start he makes in 2024. The Rays can control the southpaw through the 2027 season.

McClanahan, 26, was the No. 31 overall draft pick in 2018 and has arguably surpassed even those lofty draft standards with his performance to date. Since making his MLB debut in the 2020 postseason, the southpaw has emerged as Tampa Bay’s clear top starter. From 2021-23, he logged 404 2/3 innings of 3.02 ERA ball with a 28% strikeout rate, 7.1% walk rate and 46.8% ground-ball rate.

McClanahan has averaged 97 mph on his heater in each of the past two seasons and was the sixth-place finisher in 2022 Cy Young voting in the American League. Were it not for a shoulder impingement that cost him three weeks late in the 2022 season, McClanahan might’ve had a legitimate chance at winning the award — or at least overtaking Dylan Cease as the runner-up. When he landed on the injured list, he’d pitched 147 1/3 innings with a dominant 2.20 earned run average, a massive 32.5% strikeout rate and a 5.4% walk rate. Upon returning, he stumbled with a 5.21 ERA in his final four starts, dropping him down the ballot that eventually saw Justin Verlander win the award in unanimous fashion.

In all likelihood, last August’s Tommy John surgery will keep McClanahan shelved into the 2024 season’s final month or perhaps wipe out his ’24 season entirely. He’s one of three key starters who suffered a major injury for Tampa Bay last year, joining Jeffrey Springs (Tommy John surgery) and Drew Rasmussen (internal brace surgery). That trio of injuries has depleted the Rays’ once-enviable pitching depth. Their current quintet of Zach Eflin, Aaron Civale, reliever-turned-starter Zack Littell and young righties Ryan Pepiot and Taj Bradley has plenty of upside but lacks stability (particularly when considering the injury histories of veterans Eflin and Civale). Former top prospect Shane Baz will return from his own Tommy John surgery at some point, but the Rays still seem likely to add some rotation help this winter.

As for McClanahan, he figures to be back at full strength for Opening Day 2025. In an ideal world, both he and Baz will recapture the form that made them elite pitching prospects (and, in McClanahan’s case, a two-time All-Star) and lead the starting staff for several years. McClanahan finished the 2023 season with 2.158 years of MLB service, making him a slam-dunk Super Two player and setting the stage for him to be arb-eligible four times. This two-year deal takes care of the first two of those arb years, but he’ll be eligible again both in 2026 and 2027.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Tampa Bay Rays Transactions Shane McClanahan

White Sox, Dylan Cease Avoid Arbitration
Main
Diamondbacks Avoid Arbitration With Christian Walker, Paul Sewald
View Comments (18)
Post a Comment

18 Comments

  1. FanOfTheUmpires

    1 year ago

    They should renew the least at Tropicana. Underrated.

    Reply
    • Jesse Chavez enthusiast

      1 year ago

      Now that’s a pretty good one 🙂

      1
      Reply
      • FanOfTheUmpires

        1 year ago

        Plaschke, Rome, Verducci, Rosenthal, Axisa, etc.

        1
        Reply
    • Old York

      1 year ago

      @FanOfTheUmpires

      One of the best ballparks in the history of baseball. It’s too bad they tore down Ebbits Field and the Polo Grounds. Most MLB stadiums are pretty boring and cookie cutter.

      At least we can touch actual Rays at the tank. If I go to Camden Yards, I can’t touch any orioles. If I go to Texas, I’m not allowed to touch the Texas Rangers and they won’t let me ride the train in Houston. That’s pretty boring and unfriendly to fans.

      5
      Reply
    • GOAT Closer Esteban Yan

      1 year ago

      It is good enough, especially if they’re just going to stay in St. Pete. A new stadium isn’t going to solve their attendance issues.

      Reply
  2. Shawn W.

    1 year ago

    That’s a steal compared to free agents. For obvious reasons – controllable.

    1
    Reply
  3. Old York

    1 year ago

    Nice, job, Rays. These deals are much better overall for the team and the player still gets paid some decent coin. All those long, overpriced contracts for aged overrated players never works out. Pretty reasonable for a guy who averages a 3.90 FRA over the 3 years.

    2021: 4.18
    2022: 3.39
    2023: 4.14

    Definitely not wroth overpaying for this guy.

    1
    Reply
  4. LambchoP

    1 year ago

    This is how you lock up an ace without blowing your whole payroll. Take note Twins, not that we have any aces up our sleave anyways….

    1
    Reply
    • holecamels35

      1 year ago

      They didn’t lock him up, this deal means nothing. Paid a year that they’d pay either way, just probably a tad cheaper.

      Reply
  5. Pedro Cerrano's Voodoo

    1 year ago

    Saying that’s a bargain is an understatement.

    Reply
  6. Braves Butt-Head

    1 year ago

    His grandma Rue would be proud

    1
    Reply
  7. landt143

    1 year ago

    When will he be traded lol

    Reply
    • StPeteStingRays

      1 year ago

      Right after Chris Archer wins the Cy Young

      1
      Reply
    • Braves Butt-Head

      1 year ago

      Next off-season

      1
      Reply
    • Yankee Clipper

      1 year ago

      When Tampa is ready to trade him, beware!

      1
      Reply
    • GOAT Closer Esteban Yan

      1 year ago

      Probably the arbitration year after this contract.

      Reply
  8. mp2891

    1 year ago

    Y’all crack me up. All the Rays did was lock Springs up at his expected arb salaries for this year and next. It’s a total nothing burger contract/control wise.

    1
    Reply
  9. phenomenalajs

    1 year ago

    Uwusuya will probably get the 5th spot in the rotation while several are rehabbing.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.

    Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment

    Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Braves Select Craig Kimbrel

    Jerry Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia Reach Agreement For Ishbia To Obtain Future Majority Stake In White Sox

    White Sox To Promote Kyle Teel

    Sign Up For Trade Rumors Front Office Now And Lock In Savings!

    Pablo Lopez To Miss Multiple Months With Teres Major Strain

    MLB To Propose Automatic Ball-Strike Challenge System For 2026

    Giants Designate LaMonte Wade Jr., Sign Dominic Smith

    Reds Sign Wade Miley, Place Hunter Greene On Injured List

    Padres Interested In Jarren Duran

    Royals Promote Jac Caglianone

    Mariners Promote Cole Young, Activate Bryce Miller

    2025-26 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings: May Edition

    Evan Phillips To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    AJ Smith-Shawver Diagnosed With Torn UCL

    Reds Trade Alexis Díaz To Dodgers

    Rockies Sign Orlando Arcia

    Ronel Blanco To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Recent

    Angels Sign Ben Gamel To Minor League Deal

    Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.

    Blue Jays Recall Spencer Turnbull For Season Debut

    Orioles Notes: Westburg, Mullins, O’Neill

    Tigers Notes: Vierling, Olson, Urquidy, Boyd

    Twins Place Zebby Matthews On 15-Day IL, Reinstate Danny Coulombe

    Yankees Claim CJ Alexander

    Phillies Claim Ryan Cusick, Designate Kyle Tyler

    Brewers Claim Drew Avans

    White Sox Sign Tyler Alexander, Place Jared Shuster On 15-Day IL

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Nolan Arenado Rumors
    • Dylan Cease Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Marcus Stroman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series
    • 2025 Arbitration Projections
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version