The Tampa Bay Rays are taking a big blow with ace Shane McClanahan landing on the 15-day injured list due to an impingement in his left shoulder. However, McClanahan sees the glass half-full and feels lucky that the injury is not one that is much more serious than what many probably initially thought it was.

Via Bally Sports Florida & Bally Sports Sun:

“I was very very pleased… This could've gone a lot of different ways, and for it to be what it is (an impingement), it's a sigh of relief.”

Shane McClanahan was supposed to start for the Rays in the series opener on the road ain't the Miami Marlins Tuesday but was scratched just before the contest while he was warming up in the bullpen. McClanahan looked pretty upset at the time, leading some to suspect that he suffered a major injury. Fortunately for him and the Rays, the injury is not the type that would end his season.

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McClanahan is the best pitching weapon of the Rays this season. Before his injury, Shane McClanahan has already posted an 11-5 record to go with a 2.20 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP. In his most recent start, he leveled the Los Angeles Angeles' offense by tossing six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits while strikeout out nine hitters in a 4-3 victory at home on Aug. 24.

The Rays are still trailing the New York Yankees by seven games in the American League East division and currently occupy the no. 1 wild card slot in the AL. However, they are far from feeling secure about their chances of making the 2022 MLB postseason, with the Minnesota Twins and the Baltimore Orioles on the outside of the AL wild-card picture looking in. The Seattle Mariners and the Toronto Blue Jays are also close behind Tampa Bay, which is hoping that 15 days is really enough for Shane McClanahan to feel okay.

Apart from McClanahan, the Rays are also dealing with other injuries to their pitching staff, with Shane Baz, Tyler Glasnow, and Yonny Chirinos all also on the injured list. For now, Tampa Bay will look for the likes of Corey Kluber, Jeffrey Springs, and Drew Rasmussen to hold the fort on the mound.