The Tampa Bay Rays may only have one member participating in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, but he will get a big spotlight placed on him.
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker, who is managing the American League team for the Mid-Summer Classic, announced Monday that left-hander Shane McClanahan will get the start in the game.
Dusty Baker names #Rays starter Shane McClanhan as AL starter.
— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) July 18, 2022
Baker did say in the press conference that he has considered Los Angeles Angels DH Shohei Ohtani to start, but Ohtani, who got the start in last year’s game, reportedly asked not to pitch in the game.
McClanahan goes into the game with a 10-3 record, leading all of Major League Baseball in earned run average (1.71) and WHIP (0.795), and leads the American League in fewest hits per 9 innings (5.6), and strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.4).
Steve Carney is the founder and publisher of St. Pete Nine. One of the people most associated with baseball coverage in Tampa Bay, he spent 13 seasons covering the Rays for flagship radio station WDAE, first as producer of Rays Radio broadcasts, then as beat reporter beginning in 2011. He likes new analytics and aged bourbon, and is the owner of one of the ugliest knuckleballs ever witnessed by baseball scouts.
