Robbie Ray Is Reinventing Himself in Year Thirteen — And Loving Every Minute in San Diego

Robbie Ray, now in his thirteenth big-league season, is a few weeks into his run with the Padres and has already settled in well, praising the team's mix of hard work and fun and picking up his first quality start with the club. The bigger thread in the conversation was how much Ray has changed as a pitcher. Once known as a strikeout-heavy lefty, he's become a ground-ball pitcher this year, a shift he ties directly to MLB's ABS challenge system pushing the effective strike zone lower. Adding a sinker and changeup has helped him attack that lower zone, and it shows in how comfortable he looks with runners on base — he described bearing down and trusting his stuff rather than relying on swings and misses. Ray also touched on his path to the majors, having skipped a college commitment to Arkansas after being drafted by the Nationals out of high school, and on the 2021 Cy Young Award he still keeps proudly displayed in a trophy hall at home. Altogether, it painted a picture of a veteran pitcher who's adapted his game significantly and is genuinely enjoying a fresh start in San Diego.