Shane allays concerns after early exit

ST. PETERSBURG – Tuesday night was very frustrating for the Rays, but apparently it could have been worse.

They lost 5-0 to the Astros and fell two games behind the Blue Jays in the American League wildcard race. Their lineup was shotless into the fifth inning and was suspended for the second straight night at Tropicana Field, their first consecutive shutouts since August 11–12, 2017. And ace Shane McClanahan went off the mound with a trainer during a plate appearance in the fifth inning of his second start from the 15-day injury list.

The last point seems to be the biggest concern, but McClanahan eliminated some potential worries afterwards. The All-Star left-hander was removed due to tension/cramps on the left side of his neck, not a recurrence of the left shoulder injury that sent him to the IL, and he believes he’ll be ready to make his next appointment Beginning.

“I fought to stay in the game. i feel good now I felt good five seconds later,” McClanahan said. “But [in the] In mid-September I respect the precautionary move. … I’m ready to go back out there and help this team win.”

McClanahan walked to Jose Altuve to start the fifth, then threw three straight shots below the striking zone to Astro’s shortstop Jeremy Peña. McClanahan appeared to grimace and crane his neck after making a switch during that sequence that pulled manager Kevin Cash and first assistant coach Mike Sandoval from the home dugout to the mound.

McClanahan appeared to say to Cash on the hill, “I’m fine,” but he walked alongside Sandoval after a brief chat. As Cash later remarked, “I’d rather be proactive than not.” McClanahan was replaced by right-hander Shawn Armstrong, who carried on Peña.

“He was pretty adamant that he didn’t want to come out. He wasn’t happy about that. But we’re trying to make the best decision,” Cash said. “It’s the second start back after missing the IL for a while. I think we all understand how important he is to our club.”

And why the Rays would be so cautious given recent events.

McClanahan was scratched from his Aug. 30 start in Miami just minutes before his scheduled pitch and ended up on the injured list the next day from a left shoulder impact. He completed the 15-day minimum stint, returned to the mound in Toronto last Thursday, pounded like he was at full power and said Monday he was feeling “normal”.

After McClanahan left Tuesday’s game, he didn’t immediately return to the Rays’ clubhouse for treatment, which is an obvious indication he wasn’t overly concerned about his future status. Instead, he stood alongside pitching coach Kyle Snyder as the inning went on.

“Just a small change, whatever you want to call it. I tried stretching it, felt good,” McClanahan said. “You saw it and [exercised] the abundance of caution, but I think it was the right move.”

Before that, catcher Francisco Mejía noted that McClanahan was “trying to find his command” as he allowed four runs in his first three innings against the Astros. The all-star starter has thrown 67 percent of his pitches to strikes this season, but only 45 of his 80 pitches were strikes Tuesday. and he went to career-high with four batters. He was charged with a career-high timing five runs total, including an Armstrong allowed to score in the fifth.

McClanahan induced just two swinging strikes on 19 swings during his first trip through Houston’s lineup and five puffs on 52 pitches during his first three innings. He seemed to bounce back in the fourth, recording three strikeouts on a one-out walk and then walking after throwing 10 pitches in the fifth.

“Of course I’m frustrated. We’re in a playoff push in mid-September, so I have to be better,” McClanahan said. “I could have done a much better job tonight executing pitches, throwing quality shots and limiting damage.”

However, McClanahan should have been near perfect given how Houston choked Tampa Bay’s lineup. The Rays’ first hit was Christian Bethancourt’s two-out single in the fifth, and they didn’t make a runner to third until they loaded the bases with an out in the ninth. However, Ryan Pressly ended that rally and extended the Rays’ scoreless streak to 20 innings.

“We just couldn’t get the last goal. Those are things that are going to happen in baseball,” Bethancourt said. “We’re dealing with a great pitching team. We need to make some adjustments.”