His fate could have been worse, but Shane McClanahan still bummed over injury

CLEARWATER — Walking off the mound with his arm in pain and his immediate future in doubt, Shane McClanahan wanted to reassure Rays manager Kevin Cash about one thing.

“I saw Cash and the first thing I said was, ‘It’s not (the) elbow, it’s not elbow,’ ” McClanahan said Monday. “I didn’t know what it was.”

Turns out, it was nerve irritation in his triceps that might have tangentially been related to the 2023 Tommy John surgery he had on his left elbow. Surgeon Keith Meister, who reviewed imaging taken of McClanahan’s arm on Sunday, said the elbow looked fine but reminded the left-hander that he had previously warned him of the possibility of complications as his arm got used to pitching again.

“We went over the MRI, the X-rays and he goes, ‘Structurally, Mac, you look great. There’s nothing wrong. You look awesome. The elbow is healthy,’ ” McClanahan said. “Reminded me that I’m in the ninth inning of my recovery.

“Coming back from surgery you’re getting your arm accustomed to the stresses and the intensity and workload of what pitching is. He likes to describe it as you’re grooving new patterns of throwing in your arm. There’s bumps and bruises along the road.”

McClanahan said he pushed doctors for a timetable on his recovery, but accepted that he just needs to wait for the irritation in the nerve to subside. He said it already feels better than it did on Saturday but, given how valuable his left arm is, it would not be shocking if his regular-season debut comes in May.

If there is a silver lining it is that the Rays were worried about McClanahan throwing too many innings after not pitching for 18 months. With his season delayed, that will not be as much of an issue. Cash compared it to 2023 when Tyler Glasnow was coming back from Tommy John surgery and missed the first two months with an oblique injury.

While the news has been positive from the doctors — and McClanahan said he’s grateful it wasn’t worse — he admits he’s still frustrated after following all the protocols during a lengthy rehab.

“It was probably the sweetest opening day I was ready to have,” McClanahan said. “The only thing I told myself going into recovery was control what you can control. I did a damn good job of that. I really did. I felt as good as I ever have on the mound. I felt like a complete pitcher. I felt like myself again.”

Bigge news

On Friday afternoon, relief pitcher Hunter Bigge was called into Cash’s office and told he was being optioned to Triple-A Durham. “I was pretty sad all day Saturday,” Bigge said. “I was like, ‘I’m going to be sad today and then wake up Sunday and get back after it again.‘ ”

Bigge didn’t need to wait that long. He was pulled out of a Durham team meeting Saturday and told that Cash wanted to talk again. With McClanahan going on the injured list, the Rays opted for another bullpen arm and Bigge found out he was going to be on his first opening day roster. “I know, by this point, that’s how baseball goes,” said Bigge, whose parents are now planning to fly from California to see him on opening day.

Acquired in the Isaac Paredes trade in July, Bigge made 15 big-league appearances for the Rays with a 2.57 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 14 innings.

Miscellany

Centerfielder Jonny DeLuca was scratched from the starting lineup with an illness. DeLuca said he could play but Cash told him to stay home to avoid infecting anyone else. … Curtis Mead finished the spring with a .524 batting average, highest in the majors for any player with at least 40 at-bats. Josh Lowe was close behind with a .429 average, including 13 hits in his final 20 at-bats … The Rays used four relievers from the opening day roster against the Phillies. Bigge, Kevin Kelly, Pete Fairbanks and Garrett Cleavinger combined for three innings of one-hit shutout ball. “Pete Fairbanks, his last couple outings, three of the last four, have been really, really good,” Cash said. “Today, might have been the best.”

• • •

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