Cardinals Expected To Sever Ties With 3-Time All-Star, Per Insider

Will this veteran be on the move?

Oct 4, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detailed view of St. Louis Cardinals hat and glove in the dugout against the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning at Turner Field. The Braves defeated the Cardinals 2-0. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals will certainly have a different look to them by opening day, but the question at this point is just how different that look will be.

There could be big names on the move for St. Louis this offseason. Third baseman Nolan Arenado clearly wants out, and with two years to go before they hit free agency, utility man Brendan Donovan and outfielder Lars Nootbaar are trade candidates as well. Then, there's three-time All-Star pitcher Sonny Gray.

Gray has been solid in a Cardinals uniform, but the team hasn't been as good as the one he thought he was signing up to play for. But even if that's the perfect recipe for a trade, nothing is guaranteed, the 36-year-old signed the kind of contract that's hard to ship off.

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Gray expected to get traded, per Jeff Passan

Aug 4, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray (54) throws during the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the expectation at this point is that Gray will indeed be traded, as he's still close enough to a front-line starter that there will likely be teams willing to meet whatever threshold the Cardinals feel is necessary from a return package.

"Gray is one of three on-the-block Cardinals with no-trade clauses," Passan wrote. "He has indicated he's willing to move, and the expectation among other teams is he will."

Gray will make $35 million this year, whether it's from the Cardinals, another team, or a combination of both. He also has a $30 million club option for next season with a $5 million buyout, bringing the total amount he's still guaranteed up to $40 million.

That's a lot of financial responsibility for another team to take on when a pitcher appears to be slightly past his prime, even for a three-time All-Star with back-to-back 200-strikeout seasons.

Assuming Gray is traded, the Cardinals will likely have a tough choice to make. Do they eat some of the money and try to get better prospects back, or do they simply do whatever it takes to wash their hands of the full contract?

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