The San Francisco Giants took the series against the Chicago White Sox with an 8-5 win on Sunday at Oracle Park. Rafael Devers hit his first grand slam as a Giant. The offense has been the best version of itself over the last week. Things are trending up.
The starting pitching is a different story.
Ray Struggles Again Despite Giants Win
GettyRobbie Ray of the San Francisco Giants.
Robbie Ray took a no-decision on Sunday, but the performance raised fresh concerns. The 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner allowed just two hits against the White Sox but set a career-high with seven walks, three of which came around to score.
It followed a start against Arizona in which he allowed a career-high 10 runs. He had given up fewer than three runs in eight of his starts before that stretch. The numbers over his last three outings tell a troubling story — an 11.19 ERA across 13 2/3 innings with just one win since early April.
Ray was honest afterward. “Mechanics are a little off right now,” Ray said, adding that he planned to review video and work out what is going wrong. Both Ray and manager Tony Vitello were clear that health is not the issue. This is a mechanical problem, not a physical one.
Vitello offered his own read on what he saw. “The last outing prior to that he threw almost nothing but strikes,” Vitello said, noting that Sunday’s performance looked like Ray trying to be too precise rather than attacking hitters with his usual confidence.
What It Means for the Giants
GettyTony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants.
Logan Webb is expected back in the rotation next week following his rehab start in Sacramento. His return will stabilize things at the top of the staff. But getting Ray back on track is equally important for a Giants team that needs contributions from multiple starters to stay competitive.
The offense has carried the load recently and Ray acknowledged as much. The Giants need the two sides to click at the same time.
Final Word
Ray planned to spend Sunday night reviewing his mechanics and comparing his recent starts to when things were going well.
The rotation needs to find its footing. Webb’s return next week should help.
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