SAN DIEGO -- The Padres got an up-close look at Giants left-hander Robbie Ray last week, and evidently, they liked what they saw.
Ray -- the only pitcher to beat the Padres in the last 10 days -- was traded to San Diego in a Deadline day deal with San Francisco. The Padres sent two prospects to San Francisco in return: right-hander Miguel Mendez (San Diego's No. 4 prospect) and shortstop Joniel Hernandez (No. 9 prospect). The Giants will also cover a portion of the remaining money owed to Ray.
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It’s the first step for the Padres toward strengthening a starting rotation that has been decimated by injuries this season. In spite of those injuries, San Diego has won eight of nine, pulling within one game of the final Wild Card spot in the National League. (Their only loss came on Thursday, with Ray working six innings of one-run ball for San Francisco.)
Now, the Padres are going for it. Ray, 34, is set to become a free agent after the season. He owns a 3.08 ERA in 22 outings this year and has been especially dominant over the past couple months. Ray has a 1.65 ERA since the start of June.
A 13-year veteran, Ray won the American League Cy Young Award in 2021 while pitching for Toronto. He hasn’t quite hit those heights in the past couple years, but he’s been sturdy and steady since returning from Tommy John surgery in 2024. The Padres will absolutely take that.
They’re currently employing a two-man rotation featuring Michael King and Walker Buehler, plus three bullpen games each turn through. That’s likely to change. Ray could presumably slot into one of the vacancies for the Padres’ crucial series this week in Arizona, where Ray pitched from 2015-20.
As for the return headed to San Francisco, Mendez and Hernandez are certainly intriguing. Mendez has excellent stuff and is closer to the big leagues, though command has been a major problem. Hernandez, only 17, is much further away. His ceiling is high, but he’s a long-term project.
In any case, the Padres held onto their biggest trade chips -- top prospect Ethan Salas (who was always unlikely to move before the Deadline) along with left-handers Kash Mayfield and Kruz Schoolcraft.
Of course, even after acquiring Ray, the Padres almost certainly aren’t done. They’re on the lookout for more starting pitching and could be in the mix for a bat as well.