Robbie Ray #38 of the San Francisco Giants pitches during the second inning of the spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Scottsdale Stadium on February 27, 2026 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Mandatory Photo Credit: Jeremy Chen/Getty Images)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

DOWNTOWN SCOTTSDALE — The San Francisco Giants were back in action on Friday afternoon as they took on the Los Angeles Dodgers at Scottsdale Stadium. The Giants crushed the Dodgers in a hot but beautiful afternoon contest, 12-4.

As is true with all of spring training, players are focused most on finding their stride and getting back into baseball shape.

On Friday, Robbie Ray took a positive step toward regaining his form heading into the 2026 season.

Ray spoke with the media after his start, in which he went two innings, allowing one run on one hit with one walk and one strikeout.

“It felt good. Today was definitely a step in the right direction,” Ray said after his performance. “I feel like I’ve been trying to find that delivery post-surgery. Everything — arm feels great, body feels great. It’s just searching for that delivery.”

Ray underwent Tommy John surgery in May of 2023, which is the surgery he was referencing. While Ray had a solid season last year, going 11-8 with a 2.8 WAR and 3.65 ERA, he hasn’t felt he has truly found the rhythm he believes he can regain in 2026.

“I mean, I’ve looked at the video. Justin and Christian have also. We’ve been losing sleep over it, trying to figure out what it is,” Ray said Friday afternoon. “I feel like the biggest thing is I’ve been dumping my hips, my back hip, which has caused my arm to hike up, which kind of counteracts everything that I do because it actually lowers my release point and my pitch shapes are bad when I do that.”

So what is on Ray’s mind in terms of mechanics to fix the feel issues he’s been having? His hips and shoulders are prime markers for where he is mechanically.

“I felt like I was actually getting out over my front side, driving the ball to the plate. Pitch shapes are a lot better today, so I’m really happy with it. If I can keep my shoulder square, it allows me to just drive everything through the plate.”

In addition to the positive signs from Ray, Willy Adames showed some power in Friday’s win over the Dodgers. Adames led off the game with a solo home run to give the Giants an early 1-0 lead. It was his first homer of the season and traveled 418 feet to left-center field.

The game itself was lopsided. The Giants didn’t look back after the leadoff shot, scoring 12 runs while tallying 14 hits against Dodgers pitching.

The Dodgers committed three errors in the loss.

The Giants will travel to Mesa to take on the A’s at Hohokam Park at 1 p.m. MST on Saturday afternoon.