The Cardinals are sending the Red Sox $20M to cover Sonny Gray’s salary, sources tell ESPN. Gray’s contract will pay him $35M this year, and there is a $30M mutual option — not club, as had been previously reported — with a $5M buyout. Cash covers half of Gray’s guarantee.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 25, 2025
Sonny Gray has already pitched for five different MLB teams. Now, the 36-year-old is adding another to the back of his baseball card.
The hurler with 125 wins in his career is off to the Boston Red Sox, giving the AL East contenders some needed veteran help in the rotation behind Garrett Crochet. The St. Louis Cardinals? They’re getting a couple of young pitchers in exchange, which makes sense for the team that’s trying to build up after so many years of contention.
Who won the trade? As always, let’s hand out some trade grades for each side:
Cardinals and Red Sox Sonny Gray trade details
Red Sox get: Sonny Gray, cash
Cardinals get: RHP Richard Fitts and LHP Brandon Clarke
Red Sox trade grade
This one is fairly straightforward: Gray is aging, but he’s still a solid veteran starter who has won 27 games over the past two seasons and who can still has the potential to be a sub-4.00 ERA pitcher. He’ll eat up some innings, too. They didn’t break the bank and got an upgrade in the rotation. Seems solid, if unspectacular.
Plus, the Cardinals are paying some money for Gray, which helps!
GRADE: B
Cardinals trade grade
Fitts had just an OK full year for the Sox, with a 5.00 ERA in 10 starts. But he’s young and there’s potential there, it seems.
Richard Fitts (acquired by STL) is a young strike-throwing righty who flashed vastly improved stuff after joining the Red Sox. His 2025 season had glimpses of backend-rotation upside, but inconsistencies and injuries put a damper on his year
He is expected to be ready for Spring pic.twitter.com/iVQd0K53zB
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) November 25, 2025
Clarke is among the top-five prospects for the Sox, so that’s a really good return there.
GRADE: B+