The SF Giants had to make a call at the 2026 MLB trade deadline, and Robbie Ray was one of the clearest pieces to move. With the season going off the rails, San Francisco had little choice but to sell, and Ray - a pending free agent after the season - became an obvious trade chip.
He ended up with the San Diego Padres, where he has pitched quite well so far as they chase a Wild Card spot. But the early returns for the Giants’ side of the deal are making San Francisco look awfully sharp.
The Giants brought back two prospects: right-handed pitcher Miguel Mendez and infielder Joniel Hernandez. At the time, both looked like high-upside adds. Now, their early work in the minors is backing that up.
Mendez got one start with the San Jose Giants, working 2 and 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run, walking two and striking out one. Since then, he has made three starts for Double-A Richmond, covering nine innings with four earned runs allowed, 12 strikeouts and three walks.
The strikeout ability is the part that jumps out. Mendez has electric stuff, and the numbers keep pointing in the same direction.
He had 118 strikeouts in 95 innings last season, and in 2026 he has 53 strikeouts in 48 innings. It would not be a surprise to see him in a Giants uniform at some point next season.
Hernandez may be the more intriguing name of the two. He’s only 17 and is playing in the Dominican Summer League, so there’s plenty of reason to slow the hype train. Even so, he has hit .343/.439/.629 with three home runs and eight runs batted in since joining the Giants.
It is always risky to get too carried away with teenage shortstops, but San Francisco now has four of them in Joniel Hernandez, Josuar Gonzalez, Luis Hernandez, and Jhonny Level. If even one of that group turns into a steady big league contributor, the Giants will be in good shape.
Of course, the Giants would have preferred to be in the Padres’ position, making a move to push for the postseason. But if San Diego only sneaks into the playoffs and goes out early while San Francisco winds up with the better end of the trade, the Giants will have every reason to feel like they came out on top.
In Other News...
49ers Defensive Line Just Took A Tough Hit Before Week 1
The 49ers defensive front took another hit just before Week 1, losing Sam Okuayinonu to a broken foot and an immediate trip to Injured Reserve. The injury is serious enough to require surgery, and it removes a depth piece from a group that already figures to be under constant pressure to stay healthy and productive over the opening stretch of the season.
Khalid Kareem was brought in on the practice squad to help fill the vacancy on the defensive line, giving San Francisco another body as it adjusts its early-season rotation. For a unit that leans heavily on its front to set the tone, Okuayinonus absence leaves the 49ers having to sort out how much they can ask from the rest of the group while waiting for one of their edge options to get back in the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Shanahan Just Touched A 49ers Rams Dynamic Fans Know Too Well
Kyle Shanahans reaction to the 49ers season-opening trip to Australia sounded a lot like the way he has long talked about the NFC West road environment in Los Angeles: the label on the schedule does not always match the feel in the stands. Even with the Rams listed as the home team for the overseas game, Shanahan made it clear that San Franciscos fan base has a way of showing up where it matters, and he expects plenty of red in Melbourne too.
For the 49ers, the bigger issue is less the optics than the edge case built into any game played on another continent. Shanahan pointed out that every week matters across an 18-week season, and a unique opener like this one can shape the competitive balance before the schedule really settles in. It is a reminder that for a team used to leaning on its own crowd and routine, this one already feels a little different from the usual division setup. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Just Got A Week 1 Rams Update That Changes Things
Sean McVay has given the 49ers a clearer picture of what they can expect in Week 1, and it points to a familiar problem being available from the start. Puka Nacua, who has been dealing with psoas soreness, is expected to play when the Rams open the 2026 season against San Francisco. For a 49ers defense that will be trying to set the tone early, the news matters because Nacua has quickly become one of the most important pieces in Los Angeles passing game.
The matchup gets an added wrinkle because it will be played in Melbourne, Australia, the first NFL international game in that country. There had also been some questions around possible discipline under the leagues personal conduct policy, but Nacuas off-field situation is not expected to affect his Week 1 availability. So instead of a short-handed opener, the 49ers now have to prepare as if they will be seeing one of the Rams top targets right away on a stage far from home. [Read more 🡒]