Cardinals Moved on From Sonny Gray at the Right Time

Gray isn't quite what he used to be.

Apr 14, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals kicked off their rebuild last offseason by trading Sonny Gray to the Boston Red Sox. Willson Contreras, Nolan Arenado and Brendan Donovan soon followed.

The Cardinals signed Gray to a three-year, $75 million contract after the 2023 season, hoping he would be their next ace, though that didn't exactly work out as planned. Gray posted a 4.28 ERA last season with the Cardinals before being traded.

His stats to start the 2026 season aren't all that great either. David Schoenfield of ESPN listed some top early trade candidates from each team in Major League Baseball. Gray was listed among them for the Red Sox, but Schoenfield explained that he is struggling, which may prove that the Cardinals moved on from the right-hander at just the right time.

Cardinals moved on from Gray at the perfect time

Apr 8, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

"The veteran right-hander has a $30 million mutual option or a $10 million buyout for 2027, making him a potential free agent and possible trade candidate if Boston's slow start is a sign of things to come," Schoenfield wrote. "Of concern, both for Boston's success and Gray's trade value: Gray's swing-and-miss rate is way down, with a strikeout rate that has dropped from 26.7% in 2025 to 12.5% this season."

The Cardinals' pitching staff isn't exactly anything to write home about with Gray gone, as Matthew Liberatore is now the de-facto ace for St. Louis. But with Gray in the rotation, things could potentially be worse.

The 36-year-old right-hander is 2-1 in his four starts, but owns a 4.43 ERA. Granted, both pitchers the Cardinals landed for him are on the injured list, so it's not like the trade is benefitting them any more than it is the Red Sox. But Gray has struggled to start the season.

At 36, Gray isn't quite the ace he used to be with the Athletics, Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins. He wasn't that pitcher with the Cardinals either, so they may have picked the perfect time to move on from him.

The focus now is on younger players and setting the stage for the future. They don't have to deal with having overpriced veterans on their roster right now, which is a positive as they focus on their rebuild.

It will be interesting to see what Boston does with Gray, but it appears that the Cardinals picked just the right time to find a new fit for him and focus on their youth.