Boston adds Sonny Gray to rotation mix
Trades that appear to benefit both teams may be a rarity in pro sports. Most deals often have a clear winner, if not initially, then over time, with further insight, analysis, and statistical results to point to.
On Tuesday, the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals agreed to a trade that appears fairly balanced from the start. Boston will acquire right-hander Sonny Gray from the Cardinals, helping to address their need for a top-of-the-rotation starter. St. Louis will receive a pair of arms, right-hander Richard Fitts and left-hander Brandon Clarke, while kicking off their rebuild.
The Cardinals are also sending Boston $20 million to help offset Gray’s salary and will receive another player to be named later.
Gray has been a true workhorse throughout his 13-year career, posting a 3.58 ERA (117 ERA+) with a better-than-league-average 24.2 K% and 7.8 BB% while averaging 195.0 IP a year. The three-time All-Star turned 36 earlier this month, and he’ll step into the top of Boston’s rotation behind Cy Young runner-up Garrett Crochet.
Starting pitching depth is suddenly an asset for a Red Sox team that was expected to seek a top starter this offseason to replace Lucas Giolito. Crochet, Gray, and Brayan Bello are likely locked into the top three spots in the rotation. Alex Cora will have options to fill the final two places between Kutter Crawford, Patrick Sandoval, Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, Kyle Harrison, Hunter Dobbins, Luis Perales, David Sandlin, Tyler Uberstine, and Shane Drohan.
Gray’s three-year, $75 million contract with the Cardinals was heavily backloaded. He was due $35 million in 2026, plus a $5 million buyout on a $30 million team option for 2027. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that Gray’s deal has been “restructured” to help facilitate the trade. He’ll now receive $31 million in 2026 and is guaranteed a $10 million buyout on what is now a mutual option for 2027. Essentially, he received an extra $1 million for waiving his no-trade clause.
For Boston, however, with the $20 million the Cardinals are sending factored in, the deal ultimately counts (for CBT calculations, mainly) as a one-year, $21 million contract. It’s an entirely reasonable sum for one year of Sonny Gray.
St. Louis has now moved the first of their veteran trade chips, adding two more arms to an organization loaded with young pitching. Freeing up rotation space so those arms can get big-league experience was a key factor behind wanting to move Gray in the first place. The deal also frees up significant payroll space, should the Cardinals shift to pursuing a notable free agent addition.
Fitts, who turns 26 in December, was a 6th-round pick in 2021 by the Yankees and was one of the three players New York sent to Boston in the ill-advised Alex Verdugo trade in December 2022. He’s made 15 appearances (14 starts) for Boston over the last two seasons, with a 3.97 ERA (105 ERA+) over 65.2 IP.
The 22-year-old Clarke was Boston’s 5th-round pick in the 2024 Draft. The southpaw made 14 starts this season between Class-A and High-A, totaling a 4.97 ERA and 60 strikeouts in 38.0 IP. MLB Pipeline had him ranked as Boston’s fifth-best prospect.
Erick Fedde could return to Korea
2025 proved to be a rough season for the well-traveled Erick Fedde. The 32-year-old started the year in St. Louis, was traded to Atlanta in July, was released and signed with Milwaukee a month later, and then was left entirely off the postseason roster. Collectively, Fedde was 4-13 with a 5.49 ERA (75 ERA+) over 141.0 IP on the year. At least by WAR (-0.6), it matched the worst season of his career.
Teams are always seeking pitching depth, and while it appears Fedde is still hoping to land an MLB contract (or, at least, a spring training invite), he does seem to have options. Per a report from the Korean outlet OSEN, the NC Dinos have already contacted Fedde with interest in bringing him back to Korea.
Fedde spent the 2023 season with the Dinos, winning the KBO MVP Award while going 20-6 with a 2.00 ERA and 209 strikeouts over 180.1 IP.
The Dinos have also shown an interest in re-signing first baseman Matt Davidson and left-hander Riley Thompson. Davidson has hit .300..360/.627 with 82 HR and 216 RBI over the last two seasons. Thompson was 17-7 with a 3.45 ERA and 216 strikeouts in 172.0 IP last year, his first in Korea.
Several more players are heading overseas
Outfielder Daz Cameron has reportedly agreed to a deal with the KBO’s Doosan Bears. The son of former Mariners and Reds outfielder Mike Cameron, Daz will be 29 in January and has yet to establish himself as a consistent major leaguer. He’s hit just .200/.258/.326 (65 OPS+) in 472 career PA, including going 8-for-41 this past season with the Orioles.
Left-hander Easton Lucas has been placed on release waivers by the Blue Jays, a procedural move as he’s expected to sign a deal with an unnamed foreign team, according to reports. It is unclear if Lucas is heading to Japan’s NPB or Korea’s KBO. The 29-year-old has an 8.02 ERA (55 OPS+) in 42.2 IP over parts of the last three seasons (including a 6.66 ERA in 24.1 IP in 2025).