Red Sox Bolster Rotation with Sonny Gray Acquisition
The Boston Red Sox have finalized a strategic move by acquiring the experienced right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals. This transfer promises to significantly strengthen the team’s pitching staff for the upcoming season. In return, the Cardinals will receive left-handed prospect Brandon Clarke and right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts. In addition, the Red Sox will provide $20 million to cover part of Gray’s salary. Gray, 36, waived his no-trade clause to facilitate his departure from the Cardinals. Last season, the three-time All-Star posted a 14-8 record with a 4.28 ERA, proving to be a consistent and reliable pitcher. Gray’s contract was modified, guaranteeing him a total of $41 million: a salary of $31 million for next year and a mutual option for 2027 with a value of $30 million and a buyout clause of $10 million. With the addition of Gray, the Red Sox now have two of the five pitchers who have managed to record at least 200 strikeouts in each of the last two seasons. Gray struck out 201 batters last season, adding to the 203 strikeouts in 2024. Red Sox’s chief baseball officer Craig Breslow had indicated that adding a starting pitcher behind Crochet was one of the team’s goals for the offseason. The deal for Gray provides Boston with considerable depth in starting pitching heading into 2026. Behind Crochet and Gray, are right-handers 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 pair of rookies who pitched important innings 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 expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2026 season. Although the Red Sox have expressed interest in Minnesota’s right-hander Joe Ryan, among other starting pitcher trade targets, they opted for the short-term option with Gray, who has pitched in the Major Leagues for 13 years, going to the All-Star team as recently as 2023. He has a career record of 125-102 with an ERA of 3.58 in 330 starts.Clarke, 22, is notable for his fastball that can reach 100 mph, accompanied by an effective slider. In the current season, he pitched 38 innings in Class A, striking out 60 batters, but conceding 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.
Craig Breslow, Red Sox’s chief baseball officer
[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.
Chaim Bloom, Cardinals’ president of baseball operations
