Robbie Ray will take the ball for the Padres in Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Brewers on Saturday, giving San Diego a veteran left-hander for the opening move of a best-of-five set.
Ray gets the Game 1 assignment
Padres manager Craig Stammen chose Ray over two other available paths: handing the start to Walker Buehler or piecing together the opener with the bullpen. Instead, San Diego will lean on Ray’s experience and the different look his left-handed delivery can present against Milwaukee.
- Game: National League Division Series, Game 1
- Matchup: Padres vs. Brewers
- Date: Saturday
- First pitch: 8:30 p.m. ET, 7:30 p.m. CT, 5:30 p.m. PT
- Television: FS1, FOX Deportes and FOX One
A bumpy San Diego stretch after the deadline
Ray arrived in San Diego on Trade Deadline Day and showed flashes of the pitcher the Padres hoped to add, though his nine regular-season starts did not follow a straight line. He went 3-2 with a 5.02 ERA across 43 innings, striking out 33 while issuing 27 walks.
| Ray with Padres | Total |
|---|---|
| Starts | 9 |
| Record | 3-2 |
| ERA | 5.02 |
| Innings | 43 |
| Strikeouts | 33 |
| Walks | 27 |
The numbers underline the choice facing Stammen. Ray has not been automatic since joining the club, but he brings a postseason background and a left-handed matchup option that neither a conventional right-handed start nor an immediate bullpen game would offer in quite the same way.
First October start in four years
Saturday will be Ray’s first postseason start since 2022. His overall playoff record stands at 0-3 with a 7.43 ERA in six appearances, and only two of those outings have come as starts.
That history leaves the Game 1 assignment with a little edge to it. The Padres are asking Ray not only to handle the Brewers’ lineup, but also to settle into an October start after a long gap between chances. For San Diego, the opening inning Saturday will show whether the veteran lefty can turn a deadline acquisition with an uneven finish into the right choice for the club’s first game of the NLDS.
