Sonny Gray inks deal with Cardinals
Right-hander Sonny Gray and the St. Louis Cardinals have agreed to a three-year, $75 million deal, pending completion of his physical. The club has not confirmed the deal, but The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal broke the news of the deal’s details. Spotrac reports a base $25 million average annual value for Gray.
Gray, who turned 34 November 7, is coming off a three-year deal with a club option from the Cincinnati Reds in 2019 to avoid arbitration. The deal was three years, $30.5 million, and the Twins exercised his club option for 2023, making him a free agent for the upcoming 2024 season.
Free-agent RHP Sonny Gray finalizing three-year, $75M contract with Cardinals, source tells @TheAthletic. First with expected agreement: @JonHeyman.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 27, 2023
Background of Sonny Gray
Gray is a native of Smyrna, Tennessee, which is in close proximity to the St. Louis area. He played college baseball at Vanderbilt University and was drafted with the 18th overall pick in the 2011 Amateur Draft. Gray quickly made his major league debut in July 2013, pitching two scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In Gray’s first two years, he pitched well, posting a 2.99 ERA, 3.29 FIP, and 1.173 WHIP. Gray showed promise throughout his first two years with the Oakland Athletics.
Breakout Year
Sonny Gray earned his first All-Star appearance in the 2015 season. Gray posted a 14-7 record, with a 2.73 ERA, 3.45 FIP, and 1.082 WHIP. He led the AL in complete-game shutouts, where he had two that season, both in July and on the road. Gray also pitched an impressive 208 innings, the second-highest in his career. Gray finished third in AL Cy Young voting, only behind Houston’s Dallas Keuchel and Toronto’s David Price. Gray’s record also showed a significant difference between the team’s winning percentage with him on the mound. Gray’s .667 win percentage was much better than the 68-94 Oakland Athletics’ .420 winning percentage.
Trying to Find His Groove
After 2015, Gray only had one more All-Star appearance between his four teams in seven years. With the Athletics, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, and Minnesota Twins, Gray didn’t show his star power. In those even years, Gray went 57–57 with a 3.94 ERA, 3.84 FIP, and 1.255 WHIP. Gray also posted a 1.0 HR/9 and 3.4 BB/9, unable to keep runners off and giving up the long ball. Gray bounced around the league and tried to settle into his place. Fortunately for him, Gray found his groove in 2023.
Contract Year Resurgence
In the final year of his deal, Sonny Gray showed up significantly in 2023. Gray led the Minnesota Twins to clinch the AL Central and a playoff berth with his outstanding play. Although he slotted an 8–8 record, Gray’s 2.79 ERA in 184 innings made the difference in some crucial games. Gray posted a 1.147 WHIP and led the majors in FIP with an impressive 2.83 and 0.4 HR/9. Gray also pushed his BB/9 to 2.7, keeping his command like a veteran at the age of 33. The Twins went into the postseason and lost to the Houston Astros in the ALDS. The veteran pitcher earned an All-Star appearance and finished second in AL Cy Young voting, only behind Gerrit Cole of the Yankees.
Looking Ahead
The Cardinals have signed their third starting pitcher this offseason, with Lance Lynn ($10 million) and Kyle Gibson ($12 million) also joining the rotation. Both players signed a one-year deal this offseason. With an average age of 35 for their starting rotation, St. Louis hopes the veterans can add some stability to a rotation that needs retooling from last year. Gray looks to be the Opening Day starter, with Mike Mikolas and Steven Matz rounding out the five-man rotation.
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