Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the St. Louis Cardinals intend to acquire top starting pitcher Sonny Gray this offseason.
Gray, 34, signed a three-year contract with the Cardinals this offseason. The contract is backloaded as Gray received only $10 million of his $75 million contract in 2024 and is scheduled to make $25 million in 2025 and $35 million in 2026. He was signed to lead the starting rotation in a desperate need for consistency. And he himself had a relatively strong season.
Gray finished 2024 with a 3.84 ERA, 3.12 FIP, and 1.088 WHIP for a +109 ERA. This year, Gray eclipsed the 200-strikeout mark in just 166.1 innings. His 2024 season was a downgrade from his Cy Young Award-worthy performance in 2023, but he was still a welcome sight this year.
“The St. Louis Cardinals plan to acquire veteran starter Sonny Gray at a reduced salary. (Gray) has a full no-trade clause,” Nightengale said. Nightengale cited the Cincinnati Reds as one team that could actively pursue Sonny Gray. Other teams interested include the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers, and Houston Astros. Other fringe trade candidates could include the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants.
It would make sense for the Cardinals to shop Sonny Gray this offseason. His salary is higher, and the organization made personnel changes this offseason after fewer than 3 million fans attended games at Busch Stadium and uncertainty over a television deal with Bally Sports. We plan to cut costs.
In addition to salary, what complicates a Sonny Gray trade is his no-trade clause. Thanks to this clause, he has the final say in any transaction. But Gray was very honest during the preseason about wanting to revamp St. Louis’ pitching staff. If these changes and adaptations are not made, he may not want to waste any more time trying to win a championship before retiring.
According to Katie Wu, the Cardinals will spend this offseason rebuilding their organization. Obviously, St. Louis is not in a position to win right now. If Sonny Gray really wants to compete, he could waive his no-trade clause and play for a playoff-caliber team.
It’s a little strange that a team would want to trade their best starting pitcher just one year after signing him to a multi-year contract. However, if the Cardinals want to reset their roster and remain competitive in the future, trading Sonny Gray is probably their best move. this offseason.
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