Robbie Ray Continues to Guide San Francisco Giants to Wins in Bounce-Back Season

The San Francisco Giants remained perfect when former Cy Young winner Robbie Ray takes the mound, improving to 9-0 with their victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.
San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (38) prepares to throw against the Arizona Diamondbacks‘‘ during the fourth inning at Oracle Park.
San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Robbie Ray (38) prepares to throw against the Arizona Diamondbacks‘‘ during the fourth inning at Oracle Park. | John Hefti-Imagn Images

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The San Francisco Giants have had a pretty simple recipe for success in 2025.

Start Robbie Ray.

The 33-year-old left-hander took the mound against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night, lasting 6.0 innings. He gave up seven hits, three walks and three earned runs with nine strikeouts, getting the hook when the Giants led 7-3.

San Francisco went on to win 10-6, continuing their hot streak when Ray takes the bump.

Ray improved to 6-0 on the season, claiming the MLB lead in wins. His three no decisions have all led to Giants wins as well, making Ray the only qualified pitcher across baseball to lead his team to nine victories.

Max Fried had a chance to match that feat with the New York Yankees on Tuesday, but his team still lost 2-1 in spite of his latest gem.

Ray is only a one-time All-Star, earning a spot in the Midsummer Classic with the D-backs in 2017. He won AL Cy Young with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021 before heading off to join the Seattle Mariners.

Just one start into his second year in Seattle, though, Ray tore his flexor tendon and underwent Tommy John surgery. He missed the rest of 2023 and didn't make his 2024 debut until July, at which point he had already been traded to San Francisco.

In his first full season since 2022, Ray boasts a 3.04 ERA, 1.252 WHIP, 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings and a 1.3 WAR.

The Giants are 9-0 when Ray starts and 16-18 when he doesn't. The southpaw's success has singlehandedly vaulting San Francisco into early contention this year, as the club is currently in the third NL Wild Card spot.

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  • ABBOTT ON A TEAR: Andrew Abbott added another seven punchouts to his season total against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, helping the Cincinnati Reds lefty further improve his strikeout rate. CLICK HERE

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer covering baseball for “Fastball on SI.’’ He previously covered UCLA Athletics for On SI’s All Bruins site, and is a UCLA graduate, with his work there as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for On SI’s New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Sam lives in Boston.

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