Inside The Cardinals

Cardinals Could Trade $75 Million Ace To Desperate AL Contender

The Cardinals could trade Sonny Gray this season.
Zach Pressnell|
Apr 14, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Apr 14, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

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Baltimore OriolesSt. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are in a bit of a rebuild and they might be looking to trade some of their valuable veteran pieces. Among these trade pieces are Sonny Gray, Erick Fedde, Nolan Arenado, and Ryan Helsley. Potentially the most intriguing option of the four is the team's ace, Gray.

Looking around the league, there are plenty of teams who could be calling the Cardinals' phone to bring in the righty, but the Baltimore Orioles stand out above everybody else as the team most desperate to add pitching.

Baltimore has a talented lineup that's filled with potential and superstar ability. It seems like every other game there's a different player breaking out for the Orioles. But their pitching rotation is so shallow and struggling so much that they're at risk of missing the postseason unless they find a few more pitchers.

That's where the Cardinals come in.

A trade for Gray would make a lot of sense for the Cardinals and Orioles.

Trading Gray right now, while he's at his highest value, would make more sense than anything. While he's a valuable piece of the team, it's unlikely he's still in his prime when the Cardinals make their next World Series push. Trading him off the roster would clear a spot for a top prospect like Quinn Mathews or Tink Hence as well.

The Orioles need to add a pitcher and I doubt they would want to add another rental like Corbin Burnes who left in free agency after one year. Gray is under team control through 2027 and should provide the talent and depth atop the postseason-ready roster in Baltimore.

More MLB: Blockbuster Cardinals Trade Idea Would Send $75 Million Ace To Hated Rival

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Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "St. Louis Cardinals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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