Sonny Gray Trade Buzz Has Already Begun for Red Sox, Cubs

The Boston Red Sox don't need to make a move and arguably are going to be fine in the long run.

Apr 20, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox are going to be an intriguing team to follow over the next few months as we inch closer and closer to the August trade deadline.

For Boston, it had a disaster of a start to the campaign and that led to the club hitting reset and firing former manager Alex Cora, among a handful of coaches. Since then, the Red Sox have been a bit better under interim manager Chad Tracy. Still, Boston is 17-23 on the season, which has fueled early chatter about various guys on the roster who could be moved.

For example, The Athletic's Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma tabbed Sonny Gray as one of 10 starters the Chicago Cubs could look to acquire before the 2026 trade deadline.

"Sonny Gray (RHP); Boston Red Sox," Mooney and Sharma wrote. "The Red Sox are off to a terrible start and could use a reset. Gray is an obvious candidate to be moved as a pending free agent. But would Boston’s chief baseball officer, Craig Breslow, make a challenge trade involving a young starter such as Payton Tolle or Connelly Early?

Should The Red Sox Trade Sonny Gray?

May 6, 2026; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Sonny Gray (54) delivers in the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

"This past offseason, the Red Sox were eyeing both Nico Hoerner (who is no longer available) and Matt Shaw. Maybe a top prospect such as Kevin Alcántara would be enticing? The Cubs could improve this year’s club while also building out their rotation for the future."

The idea isn't the craziest in the world. Gray has a $30 million mutual option for the 2027 season that isn't going to be picked up. Mutual options rarely are, especially when the price is that high and Gray will be 37 years old next season. He's been great with a 3.54 ERA in six starts, but $30 million is a lot to ask for a pitcher of his age. Plus, again, mutual options are rarely picked up. The Red Sox also have a handful of intriguing young hurlers, like Tolle who could have a consistent role if Gray were to be moved.

Mooney and Sharma mentioned Tolle and Early's names. Neither are likely to get moved at all.

But what this idea doesn't take into account is the fact that Boston isn't out of any playoff race yet. Sure, the Red Sox are six games under .500, but the American League has been brutal this season. There are just four teams above .500. Boston is just two games out of a Wild Card spot right now on May 12. There's plenty of time to close that gap. So, there's really no reason to be talking about blowing up the roster because in reality, nothing has changed much from the team's pursuit of a playoff spot. If the Red Sox are out of the mix by August, that's a different story.