The San Francisco Giants are preparing to move starting pitcher Robbie Ray before the MLB trade deadline, and the club has signaled a willingness to absorb a portion of the remaining money on his contract in order to improve the return, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
With the Giants out of realistic playoff contention this season, Ray has been made available. Passan has revealed that the organization has indicated to interested teams that it is prepared to pay down some of the more than $8 million Ray is still owed for the balance of 2026.
That flexibility is expected to make the left-hander more attractive to contenders looking for rotation depth without taking on the full salary obligation.
It’s also a bit surprising, as $8 million is hardly expensive, and Ray should absolutely be viewed as a valuable piece for a contending team looking for starting rotation depth.
Ray is completing the final year of the five-year, $115 million contract he originally signed with the Seattle Mariners as a free agent ahead of the 2022 season.
After two years in Seattle he was traded to San Francisco, where he has spent the past three seasons. A former American League Cy Young Award winner with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021, the veteran has put together a solid campaign in 2026.
Through 20 starts and 21 total appearances, he has posted a 3.16 ERA across 116.2 innings while producing a 1.7 WAR. His 4.49 FIP and 4.51 xERA certainly indicates that the southpaw has gotten a bit lucky his season, but he has been solid, nonetheless.
Although Ray no longer generates the elite strikeout totals that defined the peak of his career, he remains a reliable veteran arm capable of filling a mid-rotation or depth role for a club chasing October baseball.
Contenders seeking someone who can eat innings and provide stability rather than serve as an ace may find him a useful addition, particularly if the Giants continue to subsidize part of his remaining salary.
The combination of Ray’s current performance and San Francisco’s willingness to retain money appears likely to generate interest as the deadline approaches.
The Giants may also be looking to increase the prospect capital they receive in return by showing readiness to eat some of Ray’s remaining money.
We’ll see if San Francisco can find a home for Ray before next Monday’s deadline.
