ST. PETERSBURG -- Granted a rare off-day at home on Thursday, Shane McClanahan treated a few of his teammates to a fishing trip. Junior Caminero, Ben Williamson, Ryan Vilade and Nick Martinez hopped aboard McClanahan’s boat and enjoyed a day on the water.
On Friday night, McClanahan mostly cruised through his first quality start in nearly three years. The only time he looked like he might be in trouble, three of his shipmates turned a key double play to take him off the hook.
McClanahan held the Giants scoreless for six innings, struck out five and didn’t issue a walk in the Rays’ 3-0 win over the Giants at Tropicana Field, their 14th victory in their past 19 games. It was his second straight scoreless start, his first time completing six innings since July 17, 2023, and the clearest sign yet that the left-hander has rediscovered his two-time All-Star form.
McClanahan didn’t need much run support, but the Rays delivered a pair of solo homers off Robbie Ray to put him in line for his second consecutive win. Yandy Díaz ripped an opposite-field shot to right in the second inning to put Tampa Bay on the board, then Caminero crushed a Statcast-projected 432-foot rope to left field in the fourth.
Fresh off the first fishing trip of his life, thanks to McClanahan, Caminero started the biggest play behind the lefty in the fifth inning.
With runners on the corners and one out, McClanahan received a visit from pitching coach Kyle Snyder. After a first-pitch slider in the dirt, McClanahan got Jerar Encarnacion to swing on a changeup over the plate.
Caminero fielded the 80.4 mph grounder cleanly and quickly fired a high throw to Williamson at second base. Williamson reached up to snag it, then stomped his foot on the dirt and made an on-target throw to Vilade in one smooth motion. Vilade reeled in the ball for the second out, and McClanahan pumped his left fist, shouted and pointed into the dugout as he marched off the mound.
Having only thrown 62 pitches through five innings, McClanahan came back to the mound to work the sixth inning for the first time this season. He gave up a leadoff single, induced another double-play grounder then retired Matt Chapman to end his outing.