Teams 'Will Be Interested' In Trading For Cardinals High-End Hurler, Source Claims

Could St. Louis part ways with the fan favorite this summer?

Apr 9, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; (editors note: multiple exposure image) St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have plenty of baseball left to play before deciding on how to approach this summer's trade deadline but it's not too early to begin speculating.

It's no secret that the Cardinals failed to trade superstar third baseman Nolan Arenado over the offseason. However, with the franchise in a transitional phase, the 10-time Gold Glove defender could be moved before the July 31st deadline.

If St. Louis can appease Arenado's full no-trade clause requirements, he and another Cardinals fan favorite with a challenging contract to navigate could finish the season elsewhere.

"Midseason trade candidate: Sonny Gray," MLB Deadline News reported Monday morning on X. "Under team control through 2027: 2026 - $35M, 2027 - $30M (club option). STL shopped Gray this winter and could do so again in July. His contract isn’t cheap but Sonny Gray is a high-end SP2(starting pitcher) on a contending team. Contenders will be interested."

It must be noted that the Cardinals couldn't shop Gray's contract over the winter due to the 35-year-old invoking his full no-trade clause shortly after last season ended.

Gray, a Tennessee native who prefers pitching for the Cardinals because St. Louis is close to his home state, cited that he was on board with the franchise's direction after it was declared that an organizational reset was to begin last fall.

Given that Gray hasn't indicated a desire to leave the Cardinals since beginning his 2025 campaign with a solid 3-0 record, 3.60 ERA, 33-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .220 batting average against and a 1.00 WHIP in 35 innings pitched for St. Louis across six appearances, it seems doubtful the three-time All-Star would change his mind this summer.

Although the Cardinals have a mediocre 12-16 record and are 4 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central, they appear determined to shock the naysayers by winning their division this season.

All that said, Gray, being the team's ace and key leader for this year's youth-laden Cardinals roster, doesn't seem like the type to prematurely abandon ship. He's already invoked his full no-trade clause and appears to be enjoying his role in St. Louis.

Still, genuine contenders would love to add the 13-year veteran to their rotation, so perhaps the idea of winning his first-career World Series ring could entice Gray to explore this summer's trade market.

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