The Tampa Bay Rays announced on May 27, 2023, that ace pitcher Shane McClanahan will be out for 6-8 weeks with a strained left middle finger.
The Rays are currently in first place in the AL East, but McClanahan's injury is a major blow to their chances of winning the division. McClanahan is expected to miss at least a month of action, and it is possible that he could miss the All-Star Game.
The Rays have a deep pitching staff, but they will need other pitchers to step up in McClanahan's absence. Luis Patino, Shane Baz, and Drew Rasmussen are all candidates to fill the void in the rotation.
The Rays will also need their offense to pick up the slack while McClanahan is out. The Rays have scored the fewest runs in the AL East, and they will need to start scoring more runs if they want to stay in first place.