Shane McClanahan Is Falling Apart But His K-Rate Is Still Gold, And The Dodgers Have To Deal With It
Holy smokes, what a Wednesday, folks! We've got almost a full slate of baseball happening today, even with the World Cup taking over the Jerry Dome. Seriously, who thought that was a good idea? Anyway, while some teams are dodging international football, the real action is on the diamond, and a couple of pitchers are making some serious noise right now. One guy's stats are giving everyone whiplash, and another is just flat-out emerging as an ace.
McClanahan's K-Rate: The Only Silver Lining?
Let's talk about Shane McClanahan for a minute, because this dude is a riddle wrapped in an enigma. The Rays lefty has been straight-up struggling lately, right? We're talking 16 hits, 3 walks, and 8 earned runs over just nine innings in his last two starts. Yikes. And now he's rolling into LA to face the world champs. Not exactly a soft landing, huh?
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BUT, and this is a HUGE but, the one thing McClanahan has continued to do well in those absolute clunkers is strike guys out. He whiffed 13 of the 46 batters he faced during that rough stretch. On the season, his 24.5% K% is still legit, and his 27.5% Whiff% puts him in the 68th percentile. Plus, he's got a 33.3% Chase% in the 80th percentile. The guy still generates a ton of swing and miss! Yeah, the Dodgers aren't an easy team to punch out, with their 20.6% K% versus lefties ranking sixth lowest in the league, but McClanahan usually gets into the sixth inning. We're talking roughly one K per inning for five total, something he's pulled off in 8 of his 13 starts. It’s wild, but that K-rate is still screaming.
Gavin Williams: The Guardians' True Ace Emerges
Now, let's flip the script to a dude who is absolutely crushing it: Gavin Williams. This guy has been on a tear, emerging as a flat-out ace since the All-Star break last season. In that time, he's put up a sick 2.81 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP, dominating over 16.4 innings of work with a stellar 28.1% K%. His 8.1% walk rate in 2026 isn't even alarming, so he's not giving out free passes too often.
Sure, the advanced metrics like xERA (4.58) might quibble a bit because his 12.5% Barrel% allowed is a little high, but his SIERA thinks his 3.31 mark is pretty real. And check this matchup: he's facing the Brewers, who, while they're fifth overall in the league with a 107 wRC+, do it with pesky bats, not power. They only have 65 homers, tied for fourth worst in MLB. Williams is great at keeping the ball on the ground, and the Guardians have the ninth-best infield in terms of fielding runs saved. It's a recipe for success, and he's gotten through six innings in 9 of his 14 starts this year. This guy is the real deal, Emerald City.
And hey, speaking of real deals, our M's just handled business tonight! The Baltimore Orioles came to T-Mobile Park and left with a 3-1 loss to our guys. A win's a win, baby! As we grind through this season, keep those emerald-colored eyes peeled. Every game, every pitch, every *swing and miss* counts as we chase down every W. Go M's!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.