3 SF Giants players with easy option decisions looming

3 SF Giants players with easy option decisions looming

2. Robbie Ray

When the Giants traded for Robbie Ray last offseason, they knew some patience was required as he was still recovering from Tommy John surgery. They also took on a substantial financial commitment in making this move.

The veteran pitcher signed a five-year, $115 million pact with the Seattle Mariners before the 2022 season. This included an opt-out after the 2024 season.

Given that Ray was going to miss the first half of the season while coming off of major elbow surgery, it was going to take a lot of good fortune for him to even consider opting out. When he did make it back to the mound, he demonstrated some of the growing pains that are common with pitchers following the procedure. It often takes a pitcher two years before they even get back to their pre-injury form.

The good news is that Ray is inching closer to that mark. However, it will not come before a major contract decision. He pitched to a 4.70 ERA with 43 strikeouts and 15 walks in 30.2 innings this season before finishing the year on the injured list with a hamstring strain.

The 33-year-old pitcher did regain his fastball velocity and demonstrated the swing-and-miss stuff that made him a solid rotation arm before the surgery. However, the control left a bit to be desired and that was to be expected.

Ray has a relatively easy decision. He will likely opt in to the remainder of his deal. He is owed $50 million over the next two seasons, but his Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) hit is slightly lower at $23 million per season through 2026.