Ray celebrates 10 years of MLB service time

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SAN FRANCISCO -- Marco Luciano and Landen Roupp both celebrated birthdays on Tuesday, but neither was the recipient of the surprise party the Giants threw in the clubhouse that day.

The man of the hour was actually Robbie Ray, who reached a special milestone by hitting 10 years of Major League service time. His longevity put him in select company, as only an estimated seven to eight percent of big leaguers end up reaching the mark, which guarantees a fully vested pension for players.

“That was huge,” Ray said. “Obviously, not a lot of guys are able to do it. It’s a huge honor. Just super thankful to be able to stick around for that long and glad to be here and share it with these guys.

“I think it just makes me look forward to the next however many years I have in this game. I’m excited to keep adding on to that. I feel healthy enough that I can play 10 more.”

The Giants decorated the clubhouse with a No. 10 balloon and distributed cupcakes sent by Ray’s wife to honor the veteran left-hander, who also received a bottle of wine signed by his teammates.

“[Manager Bob Melvin] got in front of everybody and started a speech,” Ray said. “I had no idea what was going on. I was almost late to the meeting. About halfway through the speech, I kind of caught on what was going on. And then [Wilmer Flores] stepped up and had some really nice things to say. We played together in years past. He presented me with the wine bottle, so it was really nice. Really special.”

Ray, 32, logged a 4.70 ERA over seven starts after returning from Tommy John surgery in late July, but he landed back on the injured list after suffering a left hamstring strain in Seattle last month. He returned to the mound for a live batting practice session at Oracle Park on Wednesday, but his outing was cut short after he felt his leg begin to fatigue after his 43rd pitch.

“I felt like I wasn’t able to really drive off with my leg because it was just tired,” said Ray, who is expected to throw another bullpen on Saturday. “I think the biggest thing is just trying to strengthen it, but not push it too fast. Ultimately, the goal is to finish the year healthy. So that’s kind of my No. 1 concern. I think for me, it’s just being able to get back into at least one game before the end of the season.”

Like fellow southpaw Blake Snell, Ray will have a decision to make regarding his future in San Francisco at the end of the season, as he’ll have the ability to opt out of the final two years of the five-year, $115 million deal he signed following his Cy Young campaign for the Blue Jays in 2021. Given his recent injury history, Ray seems likely to forgo the chance to re-enter the open market this winter, though he said he isn’t thinking too much about his contract right now.

“I’m just trying to finish healthy,” Ray said. “I think when that time comes, I’ll be able to make that decision. Right now, I’m just focused on getting back.”