Notes: McClanahan (left forearm tightness) shut down for season

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Rays didn’t set their roster for the American League Championship Series on Sunday, but they made one thing certain: Shane McClanahan will not be part of it.

McClanahan has been shut down for the rest of the postseason, manager Kevin Cash announced during Sunday’s workout at Tropicana Field. Out since Sept. 3, when he left a start against the Rangers after feeling tightness in his left forearm, there was some hope the left-hander could rejoin Tampa Bay for the ALCS or World Series.

Instead, the Rays will continue to move forward in pursuit of their first World Series in franchise history without one of their top starting pitchers.

Cash noted that McClanahan is not injured, and the 29-year-old is expected to be ready for next season. But given the forearm fatigue he felt, and the workload he handled after 2 1/2 seasons lost to significant arm injuries, the Rays felt it “just made the most sense” to shut him down.

• Guardians-Rays ALCS Game 1 FAQ

“Shane is done for the season. He's a healthy pitcher. We are incredibly appreciative and grateful for the contributions that he gave us to get us to this point,” Cash said. “I mean, I think he's got to be up there for Comeback Player of the Year with the time that he missed.”

McClanahan was sidelined after a start on Aug. 2, 2023, and wound up needing his second Tommy John surgery. He attempted to come back last season and got through a healthy Spring Training, only to be sidelined by a freak nerve injury in his left triceps that eventually required surgery.

But McClanahan looked like his old self when healthy this season, going 10-7 with a 3.36 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 118 innings over 24 starts. The two-time All-Star was with the team in the AL Division Series and made the trip to New York to celebrate the Rays’ sweep of the Yankees, and he is expected to remain with the club for however long its postseason run continues.

“Right now, he's really focused on being the best teammate, which he does … pretty seamlessly, and cheering his buddies on,” Cash said.

Roster notes

Rosters for the ALCS are due Monday morning, ahead of Game 1. Cash previously said the Rays’ 26-man squad would look similar to the group they assembled for the ALDS, but it’s possible they could carry an additional pitcher for the best-of-seven ALCS after only putting 12 on their ALDS roster.

Candidates for the final bullpen spots include right-handers Manuel Rodríguez and Casey Legumina and hard-throwing prospect Brody Hopkins.

Cash also said the Rays would “probably” set their ALCS rotation before Game 1.

Drew Rasmussen will start Game 1 on Monday night at Tropicana Field, as expected, coming off a brilliant outing against the Yankees in Game 1 of the AL Division Series. Tampa Bay can lean on some combination of Freddy Peralta, Nick Martinez, Griffin Jax and Ian Seymour to round out what’s expected to be a four-man rotation, with the other arm available in relief.

Rasmussen, Peralta and Martinez formed the Rays’ three-man rotation in the ALDS, while Seymour and Jax pitched out of the bullpen.

“I'm just anticipating to throw in whatever capacity or role necessary,” said Jax, the longtime reliever who returned to a starting role during the season. “It was a lot of fun last series going back to something I used to do. It's like riding a bike.”

Rest vs. rust

Tampa Bay seemed to answer the annual debate between “rest vs. rust” with its ALDS sweep, but it is once again facing that question heading into the ALCS.

While the Guardians went down to the wire and advanced by winning Game 5 against the White Sox late Saturday night, the Rays have only played three games in the past two weeks. They were pleased with the work they did during the Wild Card Series, however, and they made similar efforts to stay sharp over the past few days.

Tampa Bay held a six-inning intrasquad scrimmage at Tropicana Field on Saturday and tried to make it feel as game-like as possible -- crowd noise, walk-up songs, umpires, the ABS system and everything. That was particularly useful for the relievers who didn’t pitch much during the ALDS, and they found additional work for their hitters by bringing in reserve pitchers from their “alternate site” to throw live batting practice during Sunday’s workout.

“I do think it's good that we're playing tomorrow,” Cash said, “because I would imagine any more time off and then you start to get antsy.”