Cincinnati Reds Expected to Aggressively Pursue Reunion with Ace Pitcher

This would certainly be quite the move in the division...

St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against Cincinnati Reds pinch hitter Amed Rosario (38) during the sixth inning at Busch Stadium on Sept 12. / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

According to MLB Insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the St. Louis Cardinals could shockingly try to reduce payroll in 2025. As they do that, they could put ace pitcher Sonny Gray on the trade market just one year after signing him to a $75 million deal.

If that happens, Nightengale says the division-rival Cincinnati Reds are expected to swoop in with aggressive offers.

The St. Louis Cardinals, who will announce a series of personnel moves on Monday with Chaim Bloom taking on a greater role, plan to shop veteran starter Sonny Gray while reducing payroll.

Gray, who signed a three-year, $75 million contract last winter, has a full no-trade clause, with the Cincinnati Reds expected to be among the teams aggressively pursuing him.

So, there's certainly a few things of note here. The first is that Gray has a no-trade clause. If he likes St. Louis or trusts the direction of the organization, he may want to stay. However, if he sees the cutting of payroll as a reason to be worried, he might be willing to move on.

It also would be noteworthy if the Cardinals swung a trade this big with the division rival Reds. It likely wouldn't be received well by fans, which could sway decision making.

Gray went 13-9 this season with a 3.84 ERA. Now 34 years old, Gray finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2023. He's pitched for the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Reds, Twins and Cardinals. With Cincinnati, he went 23-20 over three years.

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