Cardinals' Sonny Gray 'In The Conversation' To Be Traded At Deadline

Will St. Louis deal away its best starting pitcher?

Apr 9, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

The St. Louis Cardinals' hopes of turning things around following last year's season of disappointment are slowly beginning to fade as the club continues to struggle.

The main issue for the Cardinals in 2023 was the rotation and Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak addressed that problem by landing three veteran hurlers -- Sonny Gray being the most dominant of the bunch.

Despite the dominance that Gray has displayed from the mound so far this season, it appears that there's a chance St. Louis could trade him away this summer.

"Veteran starters Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson belong in the conversation as well," Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer wrote Monday when discussing potential options for the Cardinals to trade at this year's deadline.

Gray has posted a 4-2 record with a 2.29 ERA, 44-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .215 batting average against and a 0.96 WHIP in 35 1/3 innings pitched this season.

The reigning American League Cy Young runner-up has been the lights-out starting pitcher St. Louis was looking for when they signed him this past offseason -- only giving up more than two runs in one out of six games pitched so far for the Cardinals.

The 34-year-old signed a three-year, $75 million contract last November that includes a club option in 2027. It's unlikely to see St. Louis trade him after signing him to such a modest contract combined with the fact that he's still pitching at the top of his game.

This isn't the first time that Gray has been mentioned as a trade candidate. Some speculate that the Cardinals could get a lot in return if they were to trade him.

Given that St. Louis finally has the ace they've been looking for, it's unlikely to see them deal him away -- even if they go into rebuild mode this summer.

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