The San Diego Padres have plenty of decisions to make this offseason, but one should be relatively easy: they should let Robbie Ray walk in free agency.

San Diego acquired Ray at the trade deadline with the hope that the veteran left-hander could provide another dependable arm for a pitching staff preparing for a postseason run. Ray played a role in helping the Padres reach the NLDS, but it was not close to the production asked of him.

Ray actually had a great season with the San Francisco Giants; that is why general manager A.J. Preller went after him. He posted a 3.08 ERA and 2.1 WAR with 107 strikeouts. With the Friars, his ERA rose to 5.02 in 43 innings, and his 1.53 WHIP was the worst since 2023. In 3.2 postseason innings this year, he allowed three runs off five hits.

His time in San Diego ultimately did not provide enough evidence that he should be brought back for another season. The Padres needed more from Ray when the games mattered most.

San Diego's biggest issue entering the postseason was finding enough starting pitching capable of consistently working deep into games. The Padres needed starters who could give them at least five quality innings and keep the bullpen from being overworked. They were hoping Ray could become one of those pitchers, but he never truly established himself as that type of dependable postseason option.

As a result, the bullpen was extremely overworked against the Milwaukee Brewers. The need for more reliable starting pitching became even more obvious. That should be enough for A.J. Preller to look elsewhere this offseason.

Ray is entering the latter stages of his career, and the Padres have more pressing needs than committing another contract to a 35-year-old starter who did not make a convincing case for a return. Ray could still have value for another MLB team willing to bet on his experience, but San Diego needs to be more selective about where it spends its resources.

The Padres also have several other pitching decisions to make. Joe Musgrove is expected to remain part of the rotation, while Nick Pivetta and Michael King could also factor heavily into the team's plans depending on how the offseason develops. That makes it even more important for San Diego to pursue pitching that can provide long-term value rather than adding another veteran arm.

Article Continues Below

There is another reason the Padres should be hesitant to bring Ray back. Preller has repeatedly been willing to deal promising young players in exchange for proven MLB talent, and that strategy has helped San Diego build competitive rosters. However, it also means the Padres cannot afford to ignore the need for younger, controllable pitching. Re-signing Ray would feel like doubling down on a short-term solution when the organization should be looking for the next wave of starters.

If San Diego somehow does decide to bring Ray back, it should only be on a short, one-year deal that allows both sides to move on quickly if things don't work out. But Preller and the Padres need to be thinking bigger than that. There is now ownership in town, and they have been on record multiple times saying they will be “going for it.”

After another postseason appearance ended in the NLDS, San Diego needs to find starting pitching capable of carrying the team deeper into October.