Robbie Ray Is a Different Pitcher in 2021

His strikeout rate is up, his walk rate is at a career-low, and when Ray toes the mound, the Blue Jays always have a chance to win.

Never mind the grunting or the pants, Blue Jays starter Robbie Ray looks like a completely different pitcher than years past. 

Ray began Saturday's start against the Tampa Bay Rays with five straight outs and needed just 32 pitches the first time through the order.

He was locked in an early pitcher's duel with Rays starter Shane McClanahan, but unfortunately, it just wasn't enough.  

Blue Jays reliever Anthony Castro -- fresh off the injured list -- took over for Ray in the eighth inning, giving up a pair of hits and allowing the game's winning run in Toronto's 3-1 loss. 

While the Jays suffered another demoralizing loss, Ray was the first, second, and third star for Toronto. 

It took 10 batters for Ray to record his first strikeout, but that was all part of the plan. Attack, attack, attack.

Ray threw 31 of his first 40 pitches -- largely fastballs -- for strikes. Then he broke out the soft stuff and the strikeouts followed, as Ray punched out seven Tampa Bay hitters. 

Ray pitched seven innings for the first time this year and showed minimal signs of fatigue -- chucking 97 miles-per-hour late into his start and allowing just five hits.

Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo noticed Ray's late velocity on Saturday. 

"He's been outstanding man," Montoyo said. "It's funny, he's that guy that gets stronger the more pitches he throws."

After back-to-back outings going over 100 pitches, Ray said he felt strong and hopes to keep stretching out his arm.

"I felt like it was coming out pretty good that last inning too," Ray said. "I definitely feel, like as we get deeper into the season, get some more things under the belt, that I will be able to push that a little bit further."

The 29-year-old's transformation this season has been so outrageous it's -- excuse the cliche -- hard to put into words. Seriously. 

Coming into Saturday's game, Ray sported a career-low six percent walk rate -- a stat that only got better with his fourth start of the season with zero walks. 

“I feel like this year is a little bit different," Ray said.

"In the past, my slider has always been the put away pitch or the curveball has been," Ray said. "I feel like I have four pitches that I can throw in the zone and get outs with.”

Ray has posted an astounding 49:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his last six starts and hasn't walked a batter in 39 2/3 innings. Wild numbers.   

The only flaw is that Ray gives up a lot of hard contact -- a whopping 11 hard-hit balls on Saturday, per Baseball Savant -- and with that comes the longball curse. 

Rays catcher Mike Zunino -- who homered off Ray once already this year -- broke his shutout with a fifth inning solo home run. That was all the offence Tampa Bay could muster against the hard-throwing-lefty.  

Ray has surrendered 12 homers this season, tied for the league lead. It's always been an issue for him, but this season has been particularly troublesome, allowing a career-high 2.5 homeruns per nine before Saturday's game. This season, the only silver lining is that those home run troubles aren't compounded by walks.  

Toronto's now lost four straight games -- tied for its longest losing streak of the year -- but ace Hyun Jin Ryu takes the mound on Sunday in an effort to reverse the team's fortunes. Lately, when either him or Ray toe the rubber, the Blue Jays always have a chance to win. 

Up Next:

LHP Hyun Jin Ryu vs. Michael Wacha @ 7:37 PM ET

Ryu pitched well in his last start at Tropicana Field, but pulled a glute muscle mid-game and left after 3 2/3 innings. 

The Jays ace has been stellar since he donned a Blue Jays uniform, and his last start, May 18 against Boston, was the best he's looked all season. Ryu threw seven shutout innings, allowing only four hits and striking out seven.