Giants Listed As Possible Fit For Cardinals $75 Million Ace: Why It Makes Sense

There will be several teams interested in the Cardinals ace.

Jul 14, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco Giants hat and glove on the bench against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals missed the postseason for the third straight year after going 78-84 and finishing in fourth place in the National League Central in 2025.

After they were eliminated from playoff contention in late September, right-hander Sonny Gray, who had previously chosen to stay in St. Louis rather than waive his no-trade clause, spoke in a different tone, saying he had a decision to make this offseason.

There should be plenty of teams that show interest in Gray this offseason if the Cardinals do in fact shop him. One team in particular would make a lot of sense.

Why Giants Are A Sensible Fit For Cardinals Ace

Sep 19, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Nick Deeds of MLB Trade Rumors listed the San Francisco Giants as a possible fit for Gray.

"The Giants are going to need more than just Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, and Landen Roupp in their rotation next year, and Gray would make plenty of sense for that role. Gray was actually connected to San Francisco back in September as a potential trade target. Some of that report was based on Gray’s connection with former Giants manager Bob Melvin, who has since been fired, but the Giants are still one of the few clubs that could stomach most of Gray’s salary within their expected budget," Deeds wrote.

The Giants will have some holes in their rotation with Justin Verlander soon to hit free agency. Gray only has one year left on his contract, so the Giants could use him as a short-term fix to their rotation problems.

To receive anything of value in return, the Cardinals would likely have to eat a chunk of Gray's remaining salary. But it could be worth it to move on from this contract and open up a spot in next year's rotation for Kyle Leahy, who served as a reliever this past season.

Gray went 14-8 with a 4.28 ERA in 32 starts and struck out 201 batters over 180 2/3 innings of work. He is a three-time All-Star and finished second in the American League Cy Young race back in 2023.

The Cardinals are prepared to rebuild for multiple years under Chaim Bloom, so trading Gray makes sense if they are hoping to shed salary and clear space for younger players on the roster.

It will certainly be interesting to see what ultimately happens with the 35-year-old right-hander.

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