Robbie Ray has surfaced as one of the more obvious names to move before the deadline, and two contenders are already in the mix.
According to Joel Sherman of The New York Post, the Padres are interested in the Giants left-hander. Bob Nightengale of USA Today says the Phillies have also put him on their radar. Ray had previously been tied to the Cubs, though that was before Chicago landed Kevin Gausman from Toronto.
The Giants are in sell mode, and Ray fits the profile of a player who should go. He’s 34, he’s headed for free agency after the season, and San Francisco has already dealt Tyler Mahle, Luis Arraez and Caleb Kilian. With a few months left before he reaches the open market, he looks likely to be in a new uniform soon.
The numbers explain why his price may not match the name value. Ray has a 3.08 ERA this season, but there’s more noise in the profile than the surface line suggests.
His strikeout rate sits at 20.9%, his walk rate at 11.1%, and both are below ideal. He’s also benefited from a .259 batting average on balls in play and a 79% strand rate.
His 4.36 FIP and 4.76 SIERA point to a much less flattering version of his season.
Money will be part of the equation too. Ray is making $25MM this year, with a little more than $7MM still to be paid. Both the Padres and Phillies are over the competitive balance tax line, and Philadelphia is over the top tier, which only raises the cost of doing business.
The Giants are reportedly open to eating some of the salary to get something done. That means the eventual trade likely comes down to finding the right balance between cash and prospect value.
Some clubs may prefer to take on more salary and give up less talent. Others, especially teams working with tighter budgets, could push San Francisco to cover more of the contract and make up the difference by sending a better prospect package.
For San Diego, the fit is easy to see. The rotation needs help.
Michael King is there, but beyond him the club has been piecing things together with Walker Buehler, Germán Márquez, Griffin Canning, JP Sears and Randy Vásquez. Joe Musgrove and Nick Pivetta could return later in the year, but both remain major question marks for now.
If the Padres landed Ray, he would arguably slot in as their No. 2 starter.
The harder question is how they would pay for it. Their farm system is widely viewed as the weakest in the league after years of aggressive trading and budget pressure.
They do have a strong bullpen, but they appear hesitant to part with those relievers. It’s also not clear whether the Giants would have much interest in big league bullpen arms instead of prospects.
The fact that both clubs are in the same division probably won’t be the deciding factor here. Ray is not the kind of player whose departure would create a massive backlash in San Francisco, and San Diego likely won’t be overly concerned about moving a prospect who could later become a problem for them in orange and black.
Philadelphia is looking at the situation from a different angle. Its top three of Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo gives the rotation real punch, but Aaron Nola and Andrew Painter have struggled at the back end.
The Phillies have already been active today, adding Arraez, Kilian and Brooks Raley to bolster the lineup and bullpen. With the deadline clock ticking, another starter is still on the list.
In Other News...
Phillies Just Made A Deadline Move That Changes A Crowded Roster
The Phillies added to their roster in a deal with the Giants, bringing in second baseman Luis Arraez and right-handed pitcher Caleb Killian as they continue sorting out the shape of a club that expects to be active around the deadline. It is the kind of move that speaks to both present needs and the larger picture, with Philadelphia looking for help in the lineup and another arm to strengthen the bullpen.
San Franciscos return came in the form of right-handers Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair, a reminder that even late-July moves can ripple through a roster in more than one direction. For the Phillies, the trade also adds another layer to a crowded mix of options, and the next question is how quickly the new arrivals can fit into a team trying to sharpen itself before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Roster Shuffle Just Put Several Depth Pieces In Trouble
A busy roster day in Philadelphia sent three depth pieces off the 40-man picture as the Phillies made room for their latest additions. Catcher Payton Henry and relievers Lou Trivino and Nolan Hoffman were designated for assignment, a familiar late-July squeeze that often says as much about timing as it does about performance.
The moves opened space for Luis Arraez, Caleb Kilian and Brooks Raley, a trio that reshapes the immediate roster math and pushes the displaced players into an uncertain holding pattern. Henry, Trivino and Hoffman can still be traded before the deadline or end up on waivers, but for now they are the latest names caught in the churn as the Phillies keep adjusting around the edges. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Just Sparked The Infield Shakeup Fans Saw Coming
The Phillies made a notable move to add more contact to their lineup, reaching a deal with the Giants that brings in right-handed reliever Caleb Kilian while sending Ramon Marquez and Marty Gair the other way. The headliner in the swap is a 29-year-old second baseman whose calling card has long been a high batting average and a low strikeout rate, exactly the kind of profile that can shift a lineups shape as much as it changes its look.
For Philadelphia, the bigger question now is less about the trade itself and more about where everyone fits once the new pieces are in place. The infield already had some moving parts, and this addition only sharpens the uncertainty around who settles at second, how the corners are arranged and whether the middle infield gets pushed into a new alignment. [Read more 🡒]