Could Red Sox Trade For Three-Time All-Star Starter?
Sonny Gray could be moved
The St. Louis Cardinals currently sit 3 1/2 games out of the final National League Wild Card spot. They’re slated to play a four-game series with the San Diego Padres, owners of the final spot, beginning on Thursday.
The Cardinals are coming off a 6-0 loss to the Colorado Rockies. Cardinals manager Oli Marmol described the loss as the “worst game we’ve played all year.”
Should the Cardinals continue to struggle against San Diego, they could find themselves in a deep hole with pressure to sell pieces at the deadline. Reliever Ryan Helsley is a name that’s appeared in trade talks. Another, less discussed name on the market could be three-time All-Star Sonny Gray.
The Boston Red Sox are in the market for starting pitching, and Gray might be of interest to them. Gray is owed $25 million this season and $35 million next season. The Red Sox have money to play with thanks to trading Rafael Devers, and taking on some, or all, of the contract could limit the return required to St. Louis.
Gray has a 4.04 ERA this year over 20 starts. His 2.88 FIP is among the best in the league, suggesting some improvement going forward. He doesn’t throw hard; his fastball only averages 92 mph, but he attacks the zone effectively.
Gray has given left-handed hitters are very difficult time this season. He uses his four-seam and curveball early in counts to get ahead, and his sweeper and sinker to put them away. His sweeper has been particularly effective, exhibiting a 24.3% swinging strike rate against lefties.
His approach against right-handed hitters needs improvement. He primarily uses a sinker-sweeper combination, and while the sinker has earned strikes at a high rate, it’s been hit hard. Last season, the sinker was great against righties. It has less horizontal movement in 2025, which could be causing decreased effectiveness.
Overall, Gray has been great outside of a few starts. A 3 1/3, eight-run outing his last time out increased his ERA by half a run. He strikes out hitters at a high rate and hands out very few walks. If he can suppress contact slightly better, he could be a great addition for the Red Sox down the stretch.
