Breaking News: Tampa Bay Hurler Undergoes Season Ending Surgery

Yet another setback, this one significant and ominous, for Tampa Bay Rays ace and one-time Cy Young candidate Shane McClanahan. Out since 2023, he'll now have to wait until 2026 to try again, as he underwent surgery on Monday, ending his comeback attempt for this season.

Shane McClanahan Shut Down For The Year

The Rays’ ace went under the knife for season-ending arm surgery, ending his 2025 campaign before it could truly take flight. pic.twitter.com/OiGhMGf8oH
— RotoLegends (@RotoLegends) August 12, 2025

McClanahan has been battling a lingering nerve issue in his pitching arm this season. The ace southpaw actually finally got back on the mound in three minor-league rehab starts in July, but the results were not pretty. In two outings at Triple-A, he gave up seven hits and four earned runs in 2.1 innings of work. Then a flare-up of biceps discomfort shut him down for a week.

He began playing catch from 60 feet at the end of July, but things obviously didn't feel right, and the decision was made to go under the knife.

What's even more troubling, is that there's no guarantee that today's surgical procedure even fixed the nerve problem.

“[The doctor] is not sitting there saying ’he’s fixed.’ That’s not the case,” manager Kevin Cash said today, as reported by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. “It’s, 'this is one step, and we’ll see how this goes.’ And hopefully we get good results. And if we don’t, then let doctors decide what else is needed, if anything.”

McClanahan missed the 2024 season after having Tommy John surgery two years ago. But his comeback in spring training this year was derailed when the nerve problem cropped up.

Here's hoping that the ace hurler makes it back in 2026. In three sensational seasons to start his career with Tampa, he compiled a 33-16 mark, a 3.02 ERA, 10.1 K/9, two All-Star appearances, and a Top-6 Cy Young balloting finish.