​After a convincing series win over the Milwaukee Brewers, the San Francisco Giants traveled to Southern California to open a four-game series against the division-rival San Diego Padres. Robbie Ray was slated to take the mound in what could potentially be his final start with the Giants, making him one of the night’s biggest storylines.The Giants opened the series with a 4-1 victory, and Ray earned his 10th win of the season.The Giants wasted little time against Padres starter JP Sears. The left-hander entered the game with a respectable 3.86 ERA, although his season had been limited to just six starts coming into this game.San Francisco struck first in the opening inning when Rafael Devers lifted a sacrifice fly to score the game’s first run. The offense stayed hot in the second as Daniel Susac launched a two-run home run to extend the lead.The homer was Susac’s third over his last two games, giving him three home runs in just five at-bats during that stretch. His recent production has been an encouraging development after a difficult first half that was interrupted by injuries. The Giants have been waiting for Susac’s power to emerge, and his recent surge could be a sign that he is beginning to find his rhythm at the plate. If he can sustain this level of production into the second half, it would be a welcome boost for an offense that has struggled for much of the season.The Padres answered with their only run in the bottom of the second when Xander Bogaerts drove in a run with an RBI single. It marked the first run Ray had allowed since his July 19 start against the Seattle Mariners.Ray remains one of the more intriguing players on the Giants’ roster as the MLB Trade Deadline approaches. Given the direction the organization appears to be heading, he has been widely viewed as one of the club’s most likely trade candidates. Considering how well he has pitched recently, along with his contract situation, Ray could be an attractive option for contenders looking to add to their rotation. Whether the Giants receive a promising prospect or a more MLB-ready player in return remains to be seen, but his future with the organization is something that will likely be decided in the coming days.Susac added another run in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1.The #SFGiants win on the back of a magnificent start from Robbie Ray 💪 pic.twitter.com/MxRS1qItcn— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 31, 2026His recent stretch has been especially notable because it feels as though he has accomplished more over these last two games than he had during much of the previous 44 games this season. That is not necessarily a criticism of his performance as injuries played a significant role in slowing his development. Still, since returning from the Injured List, his progress has been encouraging. After the Giants traded Patrick Bailey earlier this season, they were likely hoping Susac would take a step forward offensively. His bat appears to be coming around, and