Shane McClanahan's rough, short night leads to Rays' loss to Angels
Shane McClanahan put the Rays in an early hole they couldn't quite escape in losing 4-3 to the Angels on Friday in the opener of a six-game road trip to southern California.
The loss ended the Rays' three-game winning streak and dropped their record to 40-26, though they hung on to their percentage-points lead over the Yankees in the American League East.
The Rays were behind from the start, as McClanahan allowed two runs in the first inning, then two more in the third. They halved their deficit in the fifth and rallied for another run in the ninth, but left the tying run on third when pinch-hitter Cedric Mullins struck out.
McClanahan had a second straight rough start, allowing four runs and lasting only four innings. Saturday in Miami, he also allowed four runs while working five innings.
"I've just got to pitch better," McClanahan told reporters at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. "It was frustrating. These last couple go-rounds have not gone my way.
"As much as I want to say if I compete the way I compete and trust good things will happen, I want to start seeing some good results. I've let a lot of people down in this room, this organization. I've got to pitch better."
Pitch count was an issue, as McClanahan threw 62 over the first three innings and 74 over four. Notably, he was unable to put hitters away, as he threw first-pitch strikes to 17 of the 21 Angels he faced, but allowed eight hits and a walk.
"I think there's a couple pitches he'd like to have back with two strikes, but he had really, really good stuff, maybe as good of stuff as he's had all year," manager Kevin Cash said in Anaheim.
That also showed as McClanahan struck out a season-high-matching seven and hit 99 mph, the highest velocity of his comeback season after being sidelined since August 2023.
But none of that mattered, McClanahan said. "I want to win, as simple as that. ... I want to pitch better and win."
There also was some pain for McClanahan, as he was struck on the right foot by a 107.4 mph ground ball off the bat of ex-Ray Jose Siri in the second inning, though he stayed in.
Cash said there were several factors that went into pulling McClanahan after the fourth, including him being scheduled to start next on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium.
"The thought (in) taking him out of the game was that we were down 4-0, he's going to come back and pitch on normal rest (rather than an extra day), and he had gotten smoked on the foot. So all of those kind of went into the decision," Cash said. "He was adamant and wanted to stay in, and I appreciate that. But just felt with him coming back to pitch on normal rest it made the most sense."
McClanahan said he made his case, but is well aware Cash and pitching coach Kyle Snyder have the final say and would never "show them up, backtalk or be disrespectful.
"I trust them to make the right decision for myself and this team in the future, and if I wasn't the right guy to have out there to put us in a position to win, then I fully respect that and I want that guy out there."
Mason Englert took over to work the final four innings and did well to keep the Angels from adding on. He got some help in the eighth when Chandler Simpson, playing centerfield for the first time this season, made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Jo Adell of a homer.
The problem was that the Rays couldn't score enough.
They cut the Angels' lead to 4-2 in the fifth after loading the bases on a Simpson walk, Nick Fortes fielder's choice grounder aided by an error by shortstop Zach Neto, and a Taylor Walls bunt single.
Yandy Diaz, whose game-starting single extended his on-base streak to 25 games, took a called third strike, but Jonathan Aranda, who'd had a cool couple of weeks, followed with a two-run single to left.
The Rays rallied in the ninth when Fortes singled with one out, Diaz walked with two and Aranda singled off reliever Mitch Farris, a Palm Harbor University High product. That sent pinch-runner Victor Mesa Jr. to third, and a Junior Caminero walk by Ryan Zeferjahn loaded the bases, but Mullins went down swinging.
"I liked our at-bats to get guys on base, the big hit, or one other big hit, kind of just was challenging to come by (Friday)," Cash said. "You've got to give credit to the Anaheim pitching staff, they did a nice job."
Notes
Diaz's 25-game on-base streak is the longest active such streak in the majors and third longest of his career. ... The Automated Ball-Strike and replay systems went down in the eighth inning and were not fully restored. .... Outfielder Jonny DeLuca (right hamstring strain) went 1-for-2 with a walk while playing seven innings in his first rehab game for Triple-A Durham. ... Reliever Craig Kimbrel (right wrist strain) is set to be activated on the road trip. "I think imminent is a fair word," baseball operations president Erik Neander told WDAE radio's Tom Krasniqi on Friday. "He's about ready to go."
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This story was originally published June 13, 2026 at 12:56 AM.