• Associated Press

Jun 23, 2023, 06:00 PM ET

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash believes ace Shane McClanahan can avoid going on the injured list because of mid-back tightness.

McClanahan, who leads the majors with 11 wins, left Thursday night’s 6-5 loss to the Kansas City Royals with two outs in the fourth inning.

“I talked to Shane, he’s good,” Cash said before Friday night’s game against the Royals. “Encouraged by that. Happy with that.”

McClanahan’s next scheduled start is Wednesday night at Arizona, but he could be pushed back a couple of days.

“I know we’re going to put our heads together,” Cash said. “I don’t feel like he’s going to miss time or anything like that as we speak right now. We’ll get him back out there here soon.”

McClanahan said he is feeling good.

“Definitely a better spot than yesterday,” McClanahan said. “We’ve started the treatment, we’ve started getting this thing right. I feel like I’m in a good spot. If I had to forecast, I’d say I’m still in a pretty good spot to line up [for my next start].”

Tampa Bay slugger Brandon Lowe, out since June 4 with a herniated disk, hit against injured relievers Andrew Kittredge (Tommy John surgery) and Calvin Faucher (right elbow) at the team’s minor league complex in Sarasota, Florida.

Lowe, who had 39 homers and 99 RBIs in 2021, was limited to 65 games last year, partly by a back injury. The second baseman has nine homers and 29 RBIs in 50 games this season.

“Everybody said that it was full-force swings,” Cash said.

Lowe and Faucher may play in a Rookie-level Florida Complex League game next week. Kittredge is not expected back until August.