Tampa Bay Rays Ace Refuses 2023 Salary Offer, Has Contract Renewed

Two Tampa Bay Rays starters, including their ace Shane McClanahan, have refused the team's 2023 contract offer, allowing for their contracts to once again be renewed. 

McClanahan, a 3rd-year player, will earn $737,000 this season, a raise of 3.6%. Maybe that's the kind of raise a lot of working stiffs can expect, but for a major league All-Star who secured a Top 6 Cy Young finish last season, it can be a surprisingly little amount to see. 

But this type of thing has become commonplace for young players in the majors these days, as those who have yet to reach arbitration have very little say in their salaries, so as a matter of principle, they refuse to agree to the offer put before them, and take the minuscule raise instead (which usually isn't all that different from the offer). 

Rasmussen, entering his 4th season, will earn $739,700, up 3.9% from last season. 

McClanahan, 25, had a 2.54 ERA last season in 28 starts, with a 0.93 WHIP, along with a sensational 194:38 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 166 innings, to earn his first All-Star bid.  

Rasmussen, 27, had an equally-strong 2.84 ERA in 2022, with a 1.04 WHIP and a 125:31 K/BB ratio in 146 innings. 

Both players will be eligible for arbitration next season. 

Photo: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports