The Rays got a lift on the injury front, and it came in two places at once.
Shane McClanahan and Griffin Jax both moved in a positive direction, giving Tampa Bay a little more breathing room as it waits on pitching help to return. McClanahan finished a three-inning rehab assignment with the Durham Bulls, while Jax appears close to getting back on the mound after dealing with elbow discomfort.
McClanahan, who is on the 15-day injured list because of back discomfort, drew strong reviews from Kevin Cash after the outing. According to Ryan Bass, the Rays’ sideline reporter, Cash said Kyle Snyder, the team’s pitching coach, watched the rehab start live and "looked like the velocity and all the off-speed offerings were right in line."
Cash said McClanahan will head back to St. Pete in the coming days so the team can build a new plan, but the club is feeling good about where things stand. The message from the Rays was clear: they believe they’re moving in the right direction.
Jax’s update was encouraging in a different way. The right-hander, recently put on the injured list with right elbow discomfort, received an injection to "calm the back of the elbow down."
Cash sounded upbeat there, too, saying, "I feel like he's in a really good spot. We'll take the ball out of his hand for two more days and then get him back to throwing."
For Jax, that would be the best-case outcome. He has revived his career since joining Tampa Bay at last year’s MLB trade deadline, and this season he has pushed his way into the rotation and become a steady presence at the back end of the staff.
Until both pitchers are ready, the Rays will keep leaning on Drew Rasmussen, Ian Seymour, and newly acquired Freddy Peralta. The club could also turn to arms from the farm system, or ask the bullpen to cover a spot start while it waits for help to arrive.
That bullpen gives Tampa Bay some real options. With big-time right-hander Tyler Wells now in the mix, the back end has become one of the most dangerous groups in baseball. It also gives Steven Matz and Casey Legumina the chance to work in longer relief roles, which could matter a lot while the rotation sorts itself out.
In Other News...
Rays Just Gave Fans A Real Reason To Dream Bigger
The Rays have spent plenty of the season looking like a team with staying power, and Bleacher Reports latest MLB power rankings backed that up by placing Tampa Bay at No. 4 overall and ahead of every other American League club. A seven-game winning streak has only sharpened the case, especially with the team continuing to bank wins at home and getting useful contributions from recent addition Liam Hicks.
Even so, the picture is not perfectly clean in Tampa Bay, because the rotation and bullpen depth still have to withstand the absence of Shane McClanahan and Griffin Jax. The Rays have given themselves a real platform to aim higher, but the next stretch will say plenty about how much of this surge is built to last. [Read more 🡒]
Shane McClanahan Just Took A Big Step Toward Returning To Rays Rotation
Shane McClanahans path back to the rotation is moving into a more meaningful phase, as the Rays left-hander is set to continue his comeback with Durham, Tampa Bays Triple-A affiliate. After already getting through two innings in a simulated game, McClanahan is now edging closer to game action again while working his way back from a back issue, a development that matters for a club that has spent much of the season protecting its lead in the AL East.
Tampa Bay has had to lean on a deeper pitching mix than it did earlier in the year, using both recent additions and internal options to keep the staff stable. Even with that cushion, McClanahan remains the kind of arm who can change the shape of the staff when he is ready, which is why this next step is being watched closely as the Rays manage both the standings and the final stages of his return. [Read more 🡒]
Rays Suddenly Face A Familiar Rotation Concern With Jax
The Rays found themselves dealing with another rotation interruption when Jax was scratched from a scheduled start after feeling unwell and landed on the injured list. The immediate concern is the elbow, but the early read from the club was relatively encouraging, with the issue not appearing to be ligament-related and the expectation that his absence will be brief.
Jax already received an injection to reduce the inflammation, and the plan is for him to resume throwing soon once the discomfort settles down. For a staff that has had to manage plenty of moving pieces, the key now is whether this proves to be only a short detour or the latest reminder of how quickly a rotation can be unsettled. [Read more 🡒]