The Tampa Bay Rays are welcoming back a key player just in time to help snap out of a funk. Tampa Bay reinstated Shane McClanahan from the 15-day injured list on Monday. The Rays optioned Joe Boyle to Triple-A Durham the day after the pitcher made his first big league appearance since April 8.
McClanahan will start the final matchup of a four-game series against the Baltimore Orioles at Tropicana Field on Monday night. The Rays will attempt to avoid getting swept by their American League East opponent after allowing 20 runs in three straight losses. McClanahan is a big part of why the Rays still have the AL's best record (74-49) this season.
After missing two years due to Tommy John surgery, the southpaw has successfully returned to record a 3.09 ERA in 20 starts. The 29-year-old had won three of his last four starts before leaving his July 30 outing after three innings. McClanahan went on the IL the next day with left mid-back tightness.
He didn't need much time on the shelf, and McClanahan looked sharp when working three perfect innings in a Triple-A rehab assignment on Tuesday. McClanahan rejoins a Rays rotation brandishing MLB's third-best ERA (3.50) behind the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. Promoted over the weekend, Boyle goes right back down to Triple-A after allowing two runs over 3.1 innings in Sunday's 10-2 loss to the Orioles.
The right-hander has a 5.21 ERA in four major league appearances this season. Monday's game between the Rays and Orioles starts at 6:05 p.m. The Rays go into the contest with a 5.5-game division lead over the New York Yankees.
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