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

Atlanta Braves

Sonny Gray accepting a trade to play for the Atlanta Braves has been an assumption by many since the Cardinals faltered in 2024. Dating back to last offseason, rumors surrounding a potential trade of Gray to Atlanta began to surface, and those rumors haven't gone anywhere since.

For starters, Atlanta is one of the closest teams to Gray's hometown in Tennessee. When he signed with the Cardinals, he stated that the location of St. Louis was convenient given its proximity to his home. The same reason could be applied to the Braves.

The Braves, who have been perennial National League pennant contenders since 2021, have taken a step back this year. They have a 75-84 record, and will miss the postseason for the first time since 2018. This hasn't set the organization back in its search for another World Series trophy. They'll look to fill in the gaps that were exposed this year over the winter to return to contention in 2026.

Matt Olson, Ronald Acuna Jr., Michael Harris II, Austin Riley, and Drake Baldwin will all return next year. Chris Sale also has a club option for 2026, something the Braves will surely accept given his back-to-back Cy Young campaigns. The Braves are seeing their 2025 season as an anomaly rather than the beginning of their downfall. Therefore, they'll look to add reinforcements where necessary this winter.

Sonny Gray would be an excellent addition to their rotation, one that has been decimated by injuries this year. Spencer Schwellenbach will return from an elbow fracture next year, and Spencer Strider, who has struggled mightily this year, will hope to get back to form after this offseason. Those two pitchers, along with Sonny Gray and Chris Sale, would make for a potent starting rotation entering 2026.

Atlanta's proximity to Sonny Gray's hometown paired with their desire to return to contention and win again in 2026 makes it a fantastic match for Sonny Gray. He could help lead their push back to the top of the National League East next year with Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, and Spencer Schwellenbach. Atlanta would have to find some wiggle room in their already exorbitant payroll, but it's still possible for the Cardinals and Braves to find a match.