Giants Cy Young Winner Excels In Injury Rehab Game with San Jose

Robbie Ray continues to look good as he pushed toward trying to make his debut with the San Francisco Giants this season.

Aug 28, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Robbie Ray (38) in the dugout after the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at T-Mobile Park. / Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

The way Robbie Ray is tracking, he could be putting on a San Francisco Giants jersey soon.

Ray, a Cy Young winner the Giants acquired in the offseason, threw 3.2 innings with the Class-A San Jose Giants on Saturday, marking his longest start since he began his injury rehab activities earlier this month.

Even though he was pitching against Class A players, he allowed no runs and three hits. He struck out four and walked none.

This was the first time Ray pitched into the fourth inning since his Tommy John surgery last year with the Seattle Mariners.

It was also his second game outside of work in the Arizona Complex League, where he started his rehab. Last Sunday he pitched after Blake Snell started at Triple-A Sacramento.

On Friday, Snell made another rehab start with Sacramento. Going to San Jose gave Ray the chance to start a game as opposed to coming on in relief.

The 32-year-old left-hander threw in four rehab games with the Giants’ Arizona Complex League rookie team, beginning on June 4.

He never went farther than 2.1 innings. He threw seven innings, gave up four earned runs — three in one outing — while he struck out 15 and walked none.

Ray continues to check off milestones in his build-up to return to the Majors. The Giants still expect Ray to help them at some point after the All-Star Break.

The All-Star Game is set for July 16 in Arlington, Texas.

He has spent more than a year recovering from Tommy John surgery for the torn flexor tendon in his left elbow, which he suffered early last season.

In spite of that, the Giants traded Mitch Haniger, Anthony DeSclafani and cash considerations to the Mariners to acquire Ray in the offseason, knowing that he would not be ready until the second half of the season.

San Francisco hopes that it will get something resembling the pitcher he was in 2021 with Toronto, when he went 13-7 with an American League-leading 2.84 ERA in 32 starts. He struck out an MLB-high 248 and walked 52 in 193.1 innings as he won the AL Cy Young award.

He followed that with a 12-12 2022 with Seattle, who signed him to a five-year, $115 million deal in free agency. The Giants inherited that deal, but it comes with an opt-out after this season.

Ray was a 12th round pick of the Washington Nationals in 2010 and broke in with Detroit in 2014. In 10 MLB seasons, including a stint with Arizona, he is 74-71 with a 3.96 ERA.