Inside The Cardinals

Orioles Urged To Replace Cy Young Winner With Cardinals' $75M Star

Will the Cardinals and Orioles come together on a trade this winter?

Patrick McAvoy

Mar 11, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; A detailed view of Baltimore Orioles baseball hats and gloves in the dugout during the first inning against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Mar 11, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; A detailed view of Baltimore Orioles baseball hats and gloves in the dugout during the first inning against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
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Will the St. Louis Cardinals cut ties with one of their best players this offseason?

St. Louis needed to improve its starting rotation last offseason and did so. The Cardinals made a big splash by signing All-Star hurler Sonny Gray to a three-year, $75 million deal. Gray logged a 3.84 ERA across 28 starts for St. Louis while being its No. 1 starter.

He's under contract for two more years, but there has been a lot of chatter about his future with the Cardinals. It would be great to keep him around, but some have speculated a trade could be on the horizon. He has full control over that as he has a no-trade clause.

It has been reported that Gray is interested in staying with the Cardinals, but we will see if anything changes.

If the Cardinals and Gray are open to a deal, Newsweek's Zach Pressnell suggested Gray as an option to replace Corbin Burnes in the Baltimore Orioles' rotation.

"The St. Louis Cardinals front office has hinted that their ace Sonny Gray is available in trades this winter," Pressnell said. "But, with Gray's no-trade clause, things could be complicated. Players with no-trade clauses are typically much easier to trade for because it requires the player to be OK with the trade as well, which takes a lot of leverage away from the selling team.

"Gray still has some fight left in him. He wouldn't require a huge return to St. Louis and it would give the Orioles a top-of-the-line pitcher to help lead their young staff going forward."

Baltimore likely will lose Burnes. Gray would be a worthy option to replace him but hopefully it doesn't come to that.

More MLB: Cardinals Urged To Reunite With All-Star On Projected $5.5M Deal

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Patrick McAvoy
PATRICK MCAVOY

Patrick McAvoy's experiences include local and national sports coverage at the New England Sports Network with a focus on baseball and basketball. Outside of journalism, Patrick also is pursuing an MBA at Brandeis University. After quickly rising as one of the most productive writers on the site, he expanded his reach to write for Baseball Essential, a national baseball site in Sports Illustrated Media Group. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding Inside The Cardinals, please reach out to Scott Neville: nevilles@merrimack.edu

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