San Francisco Giants Take Massive Double Whammy Hit to Pitching Staff

Sitting 5.5 games back of the last Wild Card spot in the National League, the San Francisco Giants pitching staff has taken a brutal double whammy on the injury front as both Robbie Ray and Jordan Hicks are heading to the injured list.

Giants place LHP Robbie Ray (left hamstring strain) and RHP Jordan Hicks (right shoulder inflammation) on 15-day IL. pic.twitter.com/ykJeJMLRAP
— MLB (@MLB) August 27, 2024

The former Cy Young winner, Robbie Ray, had only been back for seven starts after returning from missing the entire 2023 season due to Tommy John surgery. Now he goes out with a left hamstring strain.

Ray's return to the mound came with a big splash for the Giants, as he tossed five no-hit innings with 8 strikeouts in his first appearance for the team, but he's struggled since then, and now owns a 4.70 ERA. He did seem to get his whiffing ability back though, as he's at 12.6 strikeouts per nine innings, which would be the highest mark of his career. Very unusual for a return from TJ surgery.

Hicks started the year in the rotation but was sent to the bullpen a month ago after a very rough stretch that saw his ERA balloon by two runs over a two-month span (2.33 near the end of May, to 4.31 near the end of July).

He's settled down somewhat back in the bullpen, where he'd spent the entirety of his previous five seasons in the majors, and now has an overall ERA of 3.90.

Hicks is now on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation. This is not a surprising result after he reported an issue with his arm the last time he warmed up in the bullpen.