Sonny Gray
Destinations: Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers
Before I dive into these destinations, I want to once again note how it is still very much up in the air whether or not Gray would be open to a trade. He could very well want to stay in St. Louis, and if that is his desire, he has that no-trade clause. But it does appear that the Cardinals are open to moving him.
The two biggest things that come to mind for me in the case of Gray are his desire to be close to home and to be on a winning ball club. The former really shrinks the list of teams he may be interested in going to, but I think the three I listed could fit the bill.
The most obvious fit to me would be the Atlanta Braves and for a number of reasons. First, Atlanta is close to Gray's home in Nashville, Tennessee, which seemed to be a major factor in Gray's free agency this past offseason. The three teams linked to Gray the most were Atlanta, Cincinnati, and St. Louis, which happen to be the three clubs closest to Nashville geographically.
Second, the Braves will be looking to plug some holes in their rotation this offseason. Max Fried is set to be a free agent and will command a lucrative long-term deal from someone, while Charlie Morton is also coming off of their books as well. The duo combined to make $35 million in 2024, meaning there is a significant chunk of salary freed up to take on the money of a guy like Gray. The Braves will also be monitoring the health of ace Spencer Strider as he works his way back from elbow surgery. Grabbing an arm like Gray for their rotation makes a ton of sense.
It is hard for me to imagine the Cardinals trading Gray within the division, but I think it is at least worth noting Cincinnati, especially since Gray has a no-trade clause. He will be able to dictate the destinations available to him, and with Cincinnati being close to home, he could see them as an up-and-coming team to return to.
As for the third team, since there are not any other baseball towns close to Nashville, I went with the Texas Rangers. Texas will have Max Scherzer's money coming off their books this offseason, and I am sure they will be hungry to rebound after failing to make the playoffs in the title defense season. Gray would be an excellent fit for their rotation should they want to make a big swing there.