3 potential trade suitors for St. Louis Cardinals' Sonny Gray

When the St. Louis Cardinals signed right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray to a three-year contract following the 2023 season, the assumption was that he would be here to help bring the Cardinals back to their winning ways after a 71-91 performance in the year prior.

Gray knew it would be an uphill battle at the time, but he was willing to work with a younger pitching staff to help them grow into regular starters. His ferocity, intelligence, and experience were welcome additions to a staff that had just lost long-time Cardinal Adam Wainwright to retirement.

The Cardinals haven't been nearly as successful as Gray would have wanted since his signing. They have missed the playoffs in back-to-back years, and they don't look to be getting any closer to postseason dominance as he enters the final year of his three-year contract.

As a result of this lack of postseason success, Gray has expressed a willingness to waive his no-trade clause this winter, according to reports. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported following the Cardinals' 3-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night, that Gray would entertain a trade this winter.

“I think I do, just to be frank and to be honest,” said Gray when asked if he has to consider waiving his no-trade clause. “I definitely think I do. Whether I do decide that I want to go somewhere – whether that actually happens – I don’t have complete control of that. Obviously, I have control of where I can’t go or don’t go. I’m going to be 36. It’s going to be my 14th season. Last year of my contract for this. I don’t know what the future holds for me."

Gray joined the Cardinals with the intention to win, and that hasn't happened. He still holds that desire. "I came here to win. I signed here two years ago with the expectation of winning and trying to win, and that hasn’t played out that way. I want to win. I want to win, and I expect to win.” This desire to win paired with the Cardinals continuing their rebuild has made him potentially willing to accept a trade.

Sonny Gray's willingness to accept a trade somewhere is the first piece of the puzzle; the second piece of the puzzle is finding a trade partner.

The line for teams looking to add a 36-year-old starter who is owed $35 million next year with a $30 million club option for 2027 won't be too long. However, there will still be teams to add a solid veteran starting pitcher with postseason experience to their rotation.

Sonny Gray is still a solid pitcher, having struck out 201 batters in 180.2 innings this year while posting a 4.28 ERA and a 3.39 FIP. He's become more home run prone these last few years, having given up 46 home runs total since joining the Cardinals, but he's also brought down his walk rate a decent amount. Gray is still a strong starting pitcher who could be a team's third starter in a playoff series.

Any team potentially interested in acquiring Gray would have to have a sizable payroll due to the financial commitments he's owed this year and potentially next year. The number of interested suitors is limited, but it isn't nonexistent.

Here are 3 teams who could be interested in trading for St. Louis Cardinals' starter Sonny Gray this offseason.