Red Sox Bolster Rotation with Sonny Gray Acquisition
The Boston Red Sox have finalized a significant move in the MLB market, acquiring the experienced right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals.In return, the Cardinals will receive left-handed prospect Brandon Clarke and right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts. In addition, Boston will contribute $20 million to cover part of Gray’s salary.
Gray, 36, agreed to waive his no-trade clause to join the Red Sox. Last season, the three-time All-Star went 14-8 with a 4.28 ERA, not missing a start with the Cardinals. Gray’s contract was modified to guarantee him $41 million: a salary of $31 million for next year and a mutual option of $30 million for 2027 with a $10 million buyout. With Gray’s incorporation into the rotation, alongside ace Garrett Crochet, the Red Sox now have two of the five pitchers who have recorded at least 200 strikeouts in each of the last two seasons. Gray struck out 201 batters last season, after achieving 203 in 2024. Red Sox baseball boss Craig Breslow had expressed that adding a starting pitcher behind Crochet was one of the team’s goals for the offseason, and the deal for Gray gives Boston significant depth in starting pitching heading into 2026. Behind Crochet and Gray are the rights to Brayan Bello and Kutter Crawford, with several left-handed options for the back end of the rotation: veteran Patrick Sandoval, 24-year-old Kyle Harrison and a couple of rookies who pitched important innings down the stretch this year, Payton Tolle and Connelly Early. Right-handed pitcher Hunter Dobbins suffered a torn ACL in July but is expected to return for spring training. Veteran right-hander Tanner Houck underwent Tommy John surgery in August and is slated to miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season.Although the Red Sox have shown interest in the right-handed pitcher from Minnesota, Joe Ryan, among other starting pitcher trade targets, they opted for the short-term play with Gray, who has pitched in the Major Leagues for 13 years, and was an All-Star in 2023. He has a career record of 125-102 with an ERA of 3.58 in 330 starts.
When asked if Gray was the number 2 starter the Red Sox were looking for, Breslow replied: “I don’t know how much sense it makes in November to put a number on a guy.” “Sonny is a very talented Major League pitcher. The seasons he’s had quite consistently indicate this. That said, we still intend to improve our team. Exactly how that will be, we don’t know at this moment.” Clarke, 22 years old and with a height of 6’4″, has a fastball that can reach 100 mph, accompanied by an effective slider. He pitched 38 innings in Class A this season, striking out 60 batters, but giving up 27 walks, with an ERA of 4.03. Fitts, who will turn 26 next month, had a 2-4 record with a 5.00 ERA in 10 starts for the Red Sox in his rookie season. He struck out 40 batters and allowed 11 home runs in 45 innings.“We’ve been pretty transparent about our desire to add to the rotation, and our desire to add a bat,” Breslow told reporters on a conference call Tuesday. “I don’t think anyone wants to feel like they have to check multiple items off the shopping list and feel like they’re running out of time or options… But we certainly feel good about our current situation.”
Craig Breslow
“Both have the potential to be part of our growing core for a long time.”“[Fitts] has already begun his career in the Major Leagues, and with his power and willingness to attack the strike zone, he has the ability to start games at the highest level for many years,” said Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom, who previously held that position with the Red Sox.
Chaim Bloom
