What's better than one staff ace? Two.
That's a luxury the Giants had at times last season, but have not had for an entire campaign since 2022.
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SIGN UP HERE The one-two punch of homegrown ace Logan Webb and two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell was lethal throughout the second half of the 2024 MLB season after the latter's very rocky start to the year, but what veteran left-handed pitcher Robbie Ray (7-0, 2.56 ERA, 63 1/3 IP, 69 K), a Cy Young winner himself, is giving San Francisco early on this season feels reminiscent of the elite left/righty tandem Webb had with now-New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón three years ago and Kevin Gausman during the franchise-best 107-win 2021 season.
Ray (W, 6 IP, 3 H, ER, 0 BB, 7 K) was excellent again in San Francisco's 3-2 series-clinching win over the Washington Nationals on Sunday at Nationals Park as the Giants improved to 10-1 in games he starts this season.
"It's great, and that's what veteran guys do," Melvin said postgame when asked about having innings-eaters Webb and Ray atop the rotation. "They're used to going out there and doing that, they're inspired to do it, it's all they think about. Wins and losses are important to them, and typically when it's important to you, you're out there for a little bit longer.
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"So to this point, both have been so good and Robbie's sitting here 7-0 with a 2.56 [ERA] and didn't walk anybody. And it's important with a team like [the Nationals] that runs."
While pitcher wins, even if they do hold less significance in today's game, still might mean something to some veteran arms around the league, it's the team victories that are the most important for Ray.
"I'm feeling really good. For me, it's just going out one game at a time and giving my team a chance every time out," Ray told reporters postgame. "I think that's my goal, just keeping us in the ballgame. But it definitely feels good to be able to do that this consistently. Just looking to keep it rolling."
Ray's outing on Sunday was the eighth time in the last nine games that a Giants starter surrendered two or fewer runs on the mound. Ray was asked after the game if San Francisco's rotation is feeding off one another's success.
"Yeah, absolutely," Ray said. "One guy goes six, seven innings, you want to do the same. I think the energy, the focus, the intent, it's infectious and I think we're just building off of each other. We're just trying to go out there and do what we're supposed to do as starting pitchers, and that's set the tone."
And set the tone they have.
The Giants' struggling offense, however, hasn't always capitalized.