Rays reveal Shane McClanahan injury update ahead of Orioles series

The Tampa Bay Rays are getting a much-needed boost to their starting rotation at a critical point in the MLB season. After spending time on the injured list with back tightness, Shane McClanahan is expected to return to the mound Monday against the Baltimore Orioles. According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay is expected to activate McClanahan for the series finale against its American League East rival. His return comes at an important time for a Rays team that desperately needs to stop the bleeding after a brutal weekend. MORE: MLB catcher Jake Rogers breaks a 122-year-old record McClanahan ready to return Jul 30, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Shane McClanahan (18) leaves the game with the trainer against the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images McClanahan landed on the injured list at the end of July because of back tightness, forcing Tampa Bay to navigate its rotation without one of its most important starters. The left-hander appears ready to make his return after completing a rehab assignment with Triple-A Durham. McClanahan pitched three innings and threw 30 pitches in his only rehab outing, coming through the appearance without an apparent setback. That gives the Rays enough confidence to bring him back, although expectations should probably be tempered for his first start. Considering he is returning from an injury and only threw 30 pitches during his rehab outing, McClanahan may not be pushed particularly deep into Monday’s game. Five innings could be a reasonable target if everything goes according to plan. MORE: MLB awards predictions for the 2026 season Rays need to get bullpen some rest The timing of McClanahan’s return could not be more important. Tampa Bay entered the Orioles series having won nine consecutive games, but things have quickly gone in the opposite direction. The Rays have now dropped the first three games of the series against Baltimore and are simply looking to salvage the finale. Their bullpen has also been asked to absorb a significant workload. Joe Boyle, Jesse Scholtens and Steven Matz were used heavily as long relievers over the weekend, making a potential five innings from McClanahan extremely valuable. The Rays don’t necessarily need McClanahan to dominate for seven innings in his first game back. If he can give them five solid innings and protect a bullpen that has been heavily taxed, his return could be exactly what Tampa Bay needs. And with the Orioles playing extremely well right now, the Rays will take any help they can get. — Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —