Cardinals may have already lost a potential suitor for Sonny Gray this offseason

The St. Louis Cardinals are ready to kick off an offseason that is expected to be full of change, and that goes all the way from the main decision-maker down to the players on the field. Last week, it was reported that Sonny Gray was open to the idea of waiving his no-trade clause for the right fit, but one of those possibilities may be off the board.

The Giants fired Bob Melvin, potentially removing a landing spot for Sonny Gray.

Cardinals ace Sonny Gray was expected to lead the rotation when the team signed him to a three-year, $75 million heading into the 2024 season. While he did indeed pace the rotation in the majority of pitching categories, his overall performance was moreso a middle-of-the-rotation arm as opposed to a traditional stopper that postseason teams have. Even if he did not lead the league or compete for Cy Young Awards, he was still more than serviceable for the Cardinals and could be even better filling that mid-rotation role for a legitimate contender.

A legitimate contender is probably the only way Gray accepts a trade out of St. Louis, as he is armed with a no-trade clause in addition to his $35 million salary next year and a $30 million club option for 2027. Any acquiring team would probably ask for some salary relief as a way to increase prospect return, but the Cardinals may want to just shed the whole thing and receive a very marginal player back. One team that Chaim Bloom and company may have looked into matching up with was the San Francisco Giants, but their recent managerial decision could take that off the table.

The Giants, like the Cardinals, missed the playoffs and have not played October baseball since the 2021 season. In an effort to reverse that trend, the Giants brought in Bob Melvin to manage the team heading into the 2024 season and this year sold out to acquire superstar Rafael Devers. Those moves have not created postseason success and, despite exercising Melvin's option for 2026, the San Francisco organization decided it was time to part ways with their manager.

On the surface, this does not seem like it should impact Gray's trade market, but when looking further, it very well could be a factor. Sonny Gray began his professional career with the Athletics in 2013 before being traded to New York in 2017. For the length of Gray's stay in Oakland, Melvin was his manager, and the two reportedly had a good relationship. However, Gray has continually mentioned his desire to play close to his home in Smyrna, Tennessee, but may have been open to a farther commute if it was the right fit. Now, with Melvin out of the mix and the Giants' short-term outlook in question, San Francisco may no longer be a fit for Sonny Gray's services.

Even if the Giants are removed from Gray's list of preferred destinations, there still figures to be plenty of interest in the veteran. Those teams looking to take on Gray and his contract will likely view themselves as one pitcher away from competing, and he could be brought in to round out a mostly fixed rotation.