Robbie Ray Dominates Padres, Strengthens Trade Deadline Value

San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (38) throws a pitch at Petco Park. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Robbie Ray Dominates Padres, Strengthens Trade Deadline Value

Originally posted on San Francisco Giants on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Jul 31, 2026 11:00 AM ET

The San Francisco Giants got another tremendous start from veteran left-hander Robbie Ray Thursday night in San Diego against the Padres in what could have been his final start as a Giant.

Ray took the mound and proceeded to toss six innings, allowing four hits, one run, one walk and punched out six. While an early report stated that Ray's trade deadline suitors would be modest, given the remaining figure on his contract, his production on the mound as of late is worth it.

The former Cy Young Award winner has been performing significantly better than many realize over the past two months. In June, Ray posted a 1.36 ERA across five starts, leading the Giants to victory in all of those games while allowing five earned runs. By the end of July, his monthly ERA stood at 2.00, having permitted six runs over 27 innings.

To make things better for Ray's case, over his last seven starts, the veteran has a 5-0 record, 43.0 innings pitched, a 1.26 ERA, six earned runs and 33 strikeouts. It would be beneficial for San Francisco to get a trade deal done as soon as possible for Ray, riding his momentum on the mound.

Ray's Thoughts on His Potential Final Start as a Giant

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Following his outing, Ray was asked about his emotions on what could have been his final start in San Francisco as a member of the Giants.

"With the trade deadline coming up, I just try to put everything out of my head as far as leading up to this start," Ray said via SF Giants on NBC on X (formerly Twitter). "It obviously comes up now that this could be my last start in a Giants uniform."

The MLB Trade Deadline is bittersweet for a handful of franchises, such as the Giants, especially entering the season with higher expectations. Ray did all he could to help the franchise over his three seasons in San Francisco, improving ERA-wise from 2024 to now.

The Giants will have tons of suitors for Ray before the trade deadline, as many contending teams need extra starting pitching to improve their case for getting into the playoffs. Ray has that playoff experience as well, though it hasn't gone his way, posting a 7.43 ERA in 13.1 postseason innings. He does have 19 strikeouts in that stretch.

With the deadline looming, it's unfortunate that San Francisco has started winning a bit more, taking five of their last seven. It shouldn't change anything, though, as they enter game two against the Padres with a 47-62 record.

This article first appeared on San Francisco Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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