Sonny Gray Just Made Modern Red Sox History With Giants Win

When the story of the 2026 Major League Baseball season is written, much will be said about the Boston Red Sox's acquisition of Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals before the campaign.

Last year, Gray logged a 4.28 ERA and a 201-to-38 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 180 2/3 innings pitched. He was very solid, but the ERA number wasn't elite. That's certainly part of the reason why Red Sox fans weren't sold on the move this past winter. Boston was looking for a No. 2 starter to put behind Garrett Crochet and some thought that Gray would fit more of a No. 3 or No. 4 role.

That couldn't be further from the truth, though. Gray has been amazing.

The 36-year-old is having one of the best overall seasons of his career. Gray has made 24 starts and has a 2.79 ERA and a league-leading 16 wins. On top of that, he has a 123-to-36 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 138 2/3 innings pitched.

Sonny Gray Has Been Incredible In Boston

Aug 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) delivers a pitch against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Friday, Gray took the hill in the Red Sox's series opener against the San Francisco Giants and earned his 16th win of the season. In the process, he made a bit of modern Boston history. Gray joined Tim Wakefield (1995) as the only Red Sox hurlers in the last 50 years to with at least 16 of their first 24 starts in Boston, per former Red Sox director of baseball communications and media relations JP Long.

"Sonny Gray (2026) and Tim Wakefield (1995) are the only pitchers in the last 50 years to win at least 16 of their first 24 starts with the Red Sox," Long wrote. "Gray: 16-3, 2.79 ERA. Wakefield: 16-5, 2.71 ERA."

Sonny Gray (2026) and Tim Wakefield (1995) are the only pitchers in the last 50 years to win at least 16 of their first 24 starts with the Red Sox.

Gray: 16-3, 2.79 ERA

Wakefield: 16-5, 2.71 ERA
— J.P. Long (@SoxNotes) August 22, 2026

Wakefield is a Boston legend. Any time you can be anywhere near a sentence mentioning him, that means that you're doing something right.

That is the case for Gray.

All season, he has been the steady superstar that the club has needed at the top of the rotation, especially with injuries popping up elsewhere. Crochet has missed most of the season. Ranger Suárez spent some time on the Injured List. Brayan Bello was demoted down to Triple-A at one point. All in all, the rotation hasn't been necessarily smooth, at times. But Gray has carried the load.

Frankly, the Red Sox should do everything possible to keep him in town beyond the 2026 season.

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