San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray is preparing for the possibility of a trade before the upcoming deadline, even as he delivered a strong performance in his team's 4-1 victory over the San Diego Padres on Thursday. Ray, who has been the subject of trade speculation for the past six weeks, acknowledged after the game that it could have been his final start in a Giants uniform.
"I just tried to put everything out of my head leading up to this start," Ray said. "But yeah, obviously, it comes up now that this could be my last start in a Giants uniform."
Despite the uncertainty, the Giants allowed Ray to pitch without restrictions. He responded by throwing six solid innings, striking out six batters, issuing one walk, and allowing only one run. This outing lowered his season ERA to 3.08, ranking 17th among qualified starters. Since May 31, Ray has been particularly dominant, posting a 1.69 ERA, a mark surpassed by only two other pitchers in that span.
"Robbie is, like, the epitome of a professional," said manager Tony Vitello. "Robbie is so good at being locked in to what he is trying to do and not expending energy on anything else."
Ray expressed satisfaction with his recent performance, stating, "I feel like I’ve been locked in lately. My last few starts, my last two in particular, I’ve felt like I was kind of on cruise control. I didn’t really feel pressure my last two starts all that much. I just felt like I was in kind of a flow state the whole time."
Ray joined the Giants while recovering from Tommy John and flexor tendon surgeries in January 2024, acquired by the previous management in a trade involving two unfavorable contracts. His diligent work with the Giants' training staff enabled him to return to the mound, making 60 starts and accumulating 335 innings with a 3.54 ERA for San Francisco. He earned an All-Star selection last year and has recaptured the form that led to his 2021 American League Cy Young Award.
"Super thankful to be given the opportunity mid-rehab to come over here," Ray said. "The training staff has been amazing. … They’ve given me a chance to come back from that injury and I’m just thankful for that."
Ray's dedication and maximum effort on the field have been seen as an example for younger pitchers on the team. "He’s one of those guys that when another guy, a 22-year-old now, is 32, he’ll become that Robbie Ray for a younger kid," Vitello noted, "because Robbie was that guy for him."
In what might have been his final appearance for the Giants, Ray demonstrated his commitment by throwing his hardest pitch of the night, a 95.2 mph sinker, for his fifth strikeout against Manny Machado. He concluded his outing by striking out Ty France.
"He kind of showed who he is there," Vitello said. "He kind of emptied the tank at the end and left it all on the table. … It’s good we found our stride, for his sake."
Despite the team's overall struggles this season, Ray's individual performance has been a bright spot. After a difficult start to the year, Ray found his stride, winning his next seven decisions. The victory against the Padres improved the Giants' record in his last 12 starts to 10-2.
"This whole year, it’s been a tough year as a team," Ray said. "We’re not where we want to be. But I felt like I put myself in a good position going out everyday trying to give my team a chance to win. … That’s kind of been my whole thing this year – just go out, put up zeroes and give us a chance. I felt like this was a good one."