Sep 26, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero (13) in the dugout during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Rays' Biggest Injury Question Revolves Around All-Star Pitcher

Originally posted on Tampa Bay Rays on SI
By Nick Ziegler | Last updated Feb 13, 2026 1:00 PM ET

With spring training set to start soon for the Tampa Bay Rays, the team will be excited to see what they can accomplish in 2026. However, one of the main things they will be keeping an eye on is the health of a key player.

Despite being a team with a low payroll, the Rays are a franchise that prides themselves on being able to compete. However, despite a good run of making the playoffs, the last two years have not been great for the franchise.

In 2025, they finished eight games under .500. This winter, they saw the rest of the American League East spend a lot of money to improve their team. On paper, the Rays might be the worst team in the division heading into the year, but they are always a scrappy bunch and are no strangers to overachieving.

Coming into the campaign, arguably one of the top strengths for the team is going to be their starting rotation. This is a unit that has a very high upside and could be the reason why they are successful. However, a lot of that will depend on whether a key player can stay healthy.

Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report recently wrote about the injury concerns for each team in the majors. For the Rays, it was unsurprisingly the health of Shane McClanahan.

Tampa Bay Needs McClanahan Healthy

The health of the star southpaw is certainly a top priority for the Rays this winter, and the team needs him to be on the mound. For the last two years, McClanahan has been unable to pitch in the majors, and to no surprise, Tampa Bay has missed the postseason in each of those years.

When healthy, the southpaw can be an All-Star pitcher and the ace of the staff. Prior to getting injured in 2023, he totaled an 11-2 record and 3.29 ERA on his way to his second straight All-Star appearance.

Unfortunately, injuries have derailed his career, and it is impossible to know what the team can expect from him in 2026. The good news is that he is reporting to camp healthy, and that is an important step one.

Now, Tampa Bay has to have a plan to manage his workload and set him up for success. If he can stay on the mound and be an effective pitcher, it could result in the Rays surprising some people in the American League.