Robbie Ray Headed To San Diego As Padres Add Cy Young Winner

Padres land Veteran starter Robbie Ray in trade with Giants

San Diego Lands Veteran Robbie Ray In Trade With San Francisco. Giants trade Robbie Ray to Padres for Mendez, Hernandez

Padres boost rotation with Robbie Ray trade, send two prospects to Giants...

The San Francisco Giants have dealt left-hander Robbie Ray to the San Diego Padres. In return, San Diego sent right-hander Miguel Mendez, the club’s No. 4 prospect, and shortstop Joniel Hernandez, ranked No. 9 in the system, to San Francisco.

The 34-year-old Ray has been rolling lately. Over his last four starts he’s allowed just three runs while striking out 21 in 21 innings. The two-time All-Star is putting together his best year since winning the Cy Young in 2021.

Across 21 starts this season, Ray owns a 3.08 ERA with 102 strikeouts in 122.2 innings. He’s given up 101 hits and 57 walks.

The 13-year veteran is headed to his sixth MLB club after two-and-a-half seasons in San Francisco. The Giants took him in the 14th round of the 2010 Draft, and he made his big-league debut with Detroit in 2014.

It didn’t go well at first he gave up 26 runs in 28.2 innings over nine games with the Tigers. A year later he was dealt to Arizona, where he spent the next five-and-a-half seasons before the Diamondbacks traded him to Toronto in 2020.

In 2021 with Toronto, Ray earned his lone Cy Young Award. He led the American League in ERA at 2.84, in WAR at 6.9, and in innings with 193.1, and topped all of MLB with 248 strikeouts.

That strong year marked the end of his run in Toronto. Ray then signed with Seattle and spent the next two seasons there. He was solid in 2022, but made just one start in 2023 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. The recovery carried into 2024, his first year with the Giants, when he managed only seven starts. He’s back to full strength in 2025.

Padres reportedly acquire LHP Robbie Ray from Giants, per multiple reports including MLB's @Feinsand.

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What San Francisco Gets Back

Mendez, 24, has posted a 4.79 ERA across 12 starts this year - 11 at Double-A and 1 at Single-A - with 39 strikeouts in 35.2 innings. He struggled at Double-A last season, putting up an 8.06 ERA in eight starts.

Hernandez, 17, is hitting .303/.424/.503 in the Dominican Summer League. In 41 games he has four home runs, 43 RBI and four stolen bases.