Rays' 2-way player McKay to have season-ending surgery

NEW YORK (AP) — Tampa Bay Rays two-way rookie Brendan McKay will have season-ending surgery on his left throwing shoulder Wednesday.

The 24-year-old McKay tested positive for the coronavirus in early July and missed most of the club's preseason camp. He was cleared to resume activities July 31 and reported to the club's alternate site, but then experienced stiffness in his pitching shoulder and was shut down last week.

“Obviously frustration, but we’re optimistic with the procedure that Brendan will have. Hopefully we’ll have him for 2021 spring training and go from there,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said Tuesday night before a series opener against the Yankees. “There’s no doubt it’s unfortunate for him, for us, because we probably would have already been using him, but just the shoulder never cooperated.”

Cash said the issue is in the back of McKay's shoulder, but the exact nature of the injury won't be known until after the procedure.

McKay was 2-4 with a 5.14 ERA in 13 games (11 starts) last season, and went 2 for 10 with a home run as a designated hitter. He's also played 49 minor league games at first base since being selected fourth overall in the 2017 draft out of Louisville.

The Rays sit in second place in the AL East entering Tuesday’s action, 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees.

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