On November 25th, the St. Louis Cardinals agreed to trade Sonny Gray and $20 million to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke. The Boston Red Sox and Gray negotiated a $31 million average salary in 2026 with a $10 million buyout on a $30 million mutual option for 2027. Contrary to Boston’s longer-winded offseason last year, Craig Breslow aggressively pursued additions before the winter meetings, ending up with Gray in this deal with St. Louis.
Red Sox Receive: Sonny Gray, $20MM
Grade: B+
Gray is an interesting acquisition for the Red Sox for multiple reasons. While he undoubtedly improves the rotation, Boston’s offseason is viewed as a collection of assets that need to be acquired in creative ways under a soft budget. While Fenway Sports Group has shown a willingness to invest in the current team, there is still speculation that ownership won’t agree to go all out in free agency.
Beslow made it clear at the beginning of the offseason that any rotation addition would be for a frontline #2 starter rather than a backend option. Depending on who you ask, Gray could profile anywhere from a #2 to a #4 in a playoff rotation. If this is the only starting pitching addition, it could be viewed as a disappointment amongst Red Sox fans. On the other hand, his underlying metrics could point to a better overall statistical season in 2026.
Cardinals Receive: Richard Fitts, Brandon Clarke
Grade: A–
Despite sending away $20MM along with Gray, the Cardinals maximized the possible value they could’ve received in this trade. Fitts and Clarke could both be future contributors to St. Louis’ pitching staff, each bringing their own values to the team. Fitts pitched a handful of innings in 2024 and 2025, struggling to stay on the field. While this is an area of concern, he’s expected to be healthy coming into Spring Training, giving him a legitimate chance to start the season in the Cardinals’ rotation. With added velocity to his fastball paired with elite extension, Fitts has all the tools to be a successful starter in his career.
St. Louis also received Clarke in the deal, a high-A pitcher with limited innings in his young career. He profiles as a big left-hander with good velocity on his fastball as well as a wipe-out slider. Clarke’s development will hinge on his ability to go deeper into games at the major league level. Ultimately, getting two potential contributors for Gray’s massive deal is a win for the Cardinals.
At the start of the offseason, Breslow basically implied that any addition to the Red Sox’s rotation would be for a #2 starter; however, he declined to label Gray in the rotation. While it’s still very possible that Boston will add another frontline starter, there’s a real world where he could start a game two in a playoff series in 2026.
Gray fits the mold of Andrew Bailey’s pitching staff, finishing in the 93rd percentile in walk percentage and 79th in strikeout percentage. While his fastball was hit pretty hard in 2025, a starter that can consistently pound the strike zone was a major need last season, outside of Garrett Crochet. Gray’s fastball has generally declined in recent years, but the Red Sox haven’t been shy about leaning on secondary pitches amongst their staff. His strikeout-to-walk ratio suggests that he could be poised for a good statistical season despite recently turning 36 years old.
Overall, Gray wouldn’t be a poor second starter in 2026, and allows Boston to avoid a long-term commitment before a potential lockout. Having him on a short-term deal could also open up other long-term spending avenues for the Red Sox, possibly a middle-of-the-order bat.
Ultimately, this move will be judged by the remainder of Boston’s offseason. If the Red Sox add two big bats and/or a frontline starter, Gray’s acquisition will be received positively. On the other hand, if this is arguably the biggest move of the offseason, fans won’t see it in the same light.
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