The St. Louis Cardinals have failed to reach the playoffs for three straight seasons and have posted losing records in two of those years.
Veteran pitcher joined the team with hopes of contending for a World Series title, but that goal has yet to materialize.
The front office hasn’t made any recent moves suggesting a shift toward contention, and there’s increasing speculation that Gray’s tenure in St. Louis may be coming to an end. If that’s true, the question becomes — where might the veteran pitcher end up this offseason?
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden unveiled his list of the top 10 trade candidates for this offseason on Thursday, with St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray coming in at No. 7.
Gray is entering his 14th MLB season, and his 2025 campaign proved he’s still capable of performing at a high level. While the veteran right-hander posted a 4.28 ERA, he led the league with a 5.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio and surpassed 200 strikeouts for the second consecutive year.
“His 2025 FIP (3.39) was nearly a run lower than his ERA (4.28),” Bowden noted. “He finished in the 66th percentile in overall pitching run value and the 97th percentile in breaking run value, thanks to a curveball opponents hit just .215 against and a sweeper they hit only .150 against.”
Gray still has two years remaining on his contract with the Cardinals, along with a no-trade clause. However, Bowden reported that Gray could be open to waiving it for the right situation.
“Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals’ new head of baseball operations, has already spoken with Gray about waiving his no-trade clause,” Bowden wrote. “Gray indicated he’d consider doing so for a legitimate contender.”
According to Bowden, the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles are the two leading teams that could make a move for Gray.
Although the Orioles endured a tough 2024 season, their struggles largely stemmed from injuries, and their core remains strong. They were a playoff team just a year earlier, and adding Gray could give them the veteran boost they need atop the rotation.
As for the Mets, they not only have the necessary roster talent but also the financial muscle to pursue a deep postseason run. Both franchises have a history of preferring shorter-term commitments for starting pitchers — a profile that fits Gray perfectly at this stage of his career.