San Francisco Giants Place Former Cy Young Winner Robbie Ray on Injured List

Robbie Ray, who just returned from Tommy John surgery in July, will be missing from the San Francisco Giants' starting rotation yet again due to a hamstring strain.

Aug 20, 2024; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Robbie Ray (23) pitches during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Oracle Park. / Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants have placed left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, retroactive to Aug. 26, the team announced Tuesday.

Ray last took the mound against the Seattle Mariners on Sunday. He lasted 3.0 innings before he was forced out of the game with his hamstring injury.

The 32-year-old southpaw had only been active for the past month, as he made his long-awaited return from Tommy John surgery on July 24. In seven starts this season, Ray is 3-2 with a 4.70 ERA, 1.141 WHIP, 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings and a 0.0 WAR.

To fill Ray's spot on the active roster, the Giants recalled left-handed pitcher Landen Roupp from Triple-A Sacramento. The 25-year-old, who made his big league debut earlier this season, owns a 4.70 ERA across 15 MLB outings, all of which came in relief.

It remains to be seen who San Francisco adds to their starting rotation in place of Ray for the upcoming weekend series versus the Miami Marlins. Roupp is likely a candidate, but nothing has been announced as of yet.

#SFGiants roster moves:

• RHP Landen Roupp (#65) recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.
• LHP Robbie Ray placed on the 15-day Injured List (retroactive to 8/26) with a left hamstring strain.

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) August 27, 2024

Ray was once one of the most reliable pitchers in baseball, with his 192 starts between 2016 and 2022 ranking fifth across the entire league.

After making his debut with the Detroit Tigers in 2014, Ray established himself as a critical member of the Arizona Diamondbacks' rotation in 2015. He made an All-Star appearance in 2017, then got dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays midway through the 2020 season.

Ray led the American League in ERA, strikeouts, WHIP and innings pitched in 2021, winning AL Cy Young in the process. He spun that into a five-year, $115 million contract with the Seattle Mariners the following offseason.

While Ray once again put up solid numbers in 2022, he suffered a season-ending elbow injury one start into the 2023 campaign. The Mariners then flipped Ray to the Giants in January, punting on the lefty less than halfway through his long-term deal.

Ray worked for over a year to get back into a major league rotation, only to get banged up and sidelined a month later. He will be eligible to return on Sept. 10, at which point he would likely only have time to make four more starts before the end of the regular season.

For his career, Ray is 77-73 with a 3.98 ERA, 1.301 WHIP, 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings and a 17.6 WAR.

With the Giants pushing to remain in the hunt for an NL Wild Card spot, losing a veteran starter like Ray could prove costly. Prior to his abbreviated outing over the weekend, San Francisco had been 4-2 when Ray took the mound.

Follow Fastball On SI on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball On SI coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.