TAMPA, Fla. -- While 28 teams will participate in Opening Day on March 27, the Rays and Rockies will wait a day before getting things started on March 28.
After spending a year and a half recovering from Tommy John surgery, Rays ace Shane McClanahan has waited long enough. So, what¡¯s another day?
McClanahan and Colorado left-hander Kyle Freeland will meet on the mound when the Rays and Rockies begin their seasons, pitting a pair of southpaws with plenty of Opening Day experience against each other as the Rays start a unique season at their temporary home, George M. Steinbrenner Field. First pitch is set for 4:10 p.m. ET/2:10 MT.
Here¡¯s a look at the matchup.
LHP Kyle Freeland
Previous Opening Days starts: 2019 at Marlins (W, 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K), 2022 vs. Dodgers (L, 3.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 6 K) and 2024 at Diamondbacks (L, 2.1 IP, 10 H, 10 R, 1 BB, 2 K)
2024 season: 5-8, 5.24 ERA, 21 starts, 113 1/3 IP, 85 K, 26 BB
This time last spring, Freeland was beaming through an impressive Spring Training during which his velocity jumped, and his numbers were shiny. Then Freeland had the worst start of his career in the season opener at Chase Field and went on the injured list with a right elbow strain by mid-April.
Once healthy, Freeland found his stride and went 5-5 with a 3.96 ERA in 17 starts.
The strong finish gave Freeland a positive bounce into the offseason. He liked the shoulder strengthening program from the previous winter but figured that throwing less would help him not only stay healthy but avoid throwing himself into bad habits.
This spring, Freeland has added a new slider and is calling his old slider a cutter. The fastball and changeup remain key pitches as long as they play off each other.
Freeland helped pitch the Rockies to postseason appearances at the start of his career in 2017 and 2018 and earned a fourth-place finish in National League Cy Young voting the following year. He has also had strong and difficult stretches since and has emerged as a hardened leader of the pitching staff.
LHP Shane McClanahan
Previous Opening Days starts: 2022 vs. Orioles (4.1 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 2 BB, 7 K) and 2023 vs. Tigers (W, 6 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K)
2024 season: Did not pitch while recovering from Tommy John surgery
The Rays let the secret slip shortly after camp opened, but the news came as no surprise. McClanahan¡¯s first game back from his second Tommy John surgery will be his third Opening Day start. He is set to become the fourth pitcher to make at least three Opening Day starts for Tampa Bay, joining James Shields, Chris Archer and David Price.
After debuting out of the bullpen during the Rays¡¯ 2020 postseason run, McClanahan quickly developed a four-pitch mix that rivals any in the game and established himself as Tampa Bay¡¯s next young ace.
He made his regular-season debut in 2021, recording a 3.43 ERA with 141 strikeouts in 25 starts and taking the mound for Game 1 of the American League Division Series. He began 2022 with his first Opening Day start, wound up starting the All-Star Game for the AL and finished with a 2.54 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 166 1/3 innings over 28 starts.
And he was putting together another excellent season in 2023, with an 11-2 record and 3.29 ERA in 115 innings over his first 21 starts. But he made his final start of the year at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 2, 2023, before undergoing a season-ending surgery that forced him to spend all of last year rehabbing and watching from the dugout.
The Rays will likely have to monitor his workload throughout the year, considering he missed last season. But McClanahan has looked like himself in Spring Training and pitched with no restrictions. Now, he¡¯s back where he belongs atop the Rays¡¯ rotation.
¡°We have such a talented group of guys here, and for them to trust in me and give me the opportunity for the third time, it's not lightly taken,¡± McClanahan said. ¡°I feel very grateful for everything this organization has done for me, and I hope to extend that gratitude back.¡±