MILWAUKEE — Just taking the mound and pitching in a major league game for the first time in 2 1/2 years made Tuesday a success for Rays lefty Shane McClanahan.

His actual results were really good, at least until the end.

McClanahan didn’t allow a hit through his first four innings, but the fifth got a little messy. He allowed two walks and two singles, which, with an odd play that included an error by center fielder Cedric Mullins at second base, cost the Rays the lead as the Brewers scored three runs.

The Rays went on to lose 6-2, dropping to 2-3 on the season.

For the night, McClanahan allowed three runs (two earned), two hits and three walks, while striking out four. He threw 79 pitches, 50 for strikes. He averaged 95.4 mph on his fastball, hitting a high of 97.4 (in the second inning) and also used his usual mix of change-up, slider and curve.

McClanahan had the bases loaded with two outs in the fifth and had thrown 74 pitches when pitching coach Kyle Snyder went to the mound.

McClanahan got to stay in to face lefty Brice Turang, who he had gotten out twice. But Turang singled to right, scoring two runs, then got in a rundown between first and second.

The Rays seemed to escape when Mullins, who came in to help out on the rundown, appeared to tag out Turang and then drop the ball. But replay review showed he didn’t have control, making Turang safe and allowing a third run as Joey Ortiz crossed home on the rundown play.

McClanahan had gone 973 days since his last start, Aug. 2. 2023, sidelined first with a left elbow injury that led to Tommy John surgery later that month, then a nerve issue in his left arm that surfaced during his final spring 2025 tuneup.

Snyder, who is the closest of the staff with McClanahan, had a simple goal for Tuesday:

“We just want to go out there and see him compete and put a smile on his face and be happy that he’s finally back doing what he’s supposed to do,” Snyder said before the game.

The Rays are going to keep a keen eye and somewhat of a short leash on McClanahan. The rough plan going into Tuesday was five innings or 75-80 pitches, which was where McClanahan ended up.

His return was an achievement the whole organization took pride in.

“It’s going to mean a lot to a lot of us. We know how valuable he’s been to our team, (our) organization for multiple years, and we’ve missed him for two years,” manager Kevin Cash said. “He’s worked hard for this day to get back here. Hopefully this start goes well. And then he can just kind of get on with his career, because he’s putting together a pretty special pace to what he’s done here in two, three years.”

Still, Snyder said, McClanahan is understandably the most excited.

“I think we’re all really happy for all that he’s over overcome and the adversity,” he said. “I think he’s been pretty well quoted; I’ve read a few of them, in terms of all that he’s gone through to get to this point.”

Fellow starter and close friend Drew Rasmussen said Tuesday afternoon that he was hoping McClanahan’s first pitch was a strike — it was — and then everything else would work out fine.

“Throwing a baseball is what he loves to do. I know he doesn’t take it for granted, this job that he has and just how special the opportunity is for all of us,” Rasmussen said. “So just to get to see him have the opportunity to go out and compete again is something that we’ve been waiting on for a long, long time.”

Snyder typically doesn’t look to far ahead, but said he expects McClanahan to “continue to get better” as the season goes on.

“I just think over the course of time, he’s going to become just as difficult to deal with as he was prior to the injury,” Snyder said.

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