Rival Surprisingly Called Trade Fit For Cardinals' Three-Time All-Star

Will the Cardinals deal the star within the division?

Apr 16, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; A bucket of baseballs sits on the field prior to the game between the San Francisco Giants against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images / Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

There could be some disappointing moves on the way for St. Louis Cardinals fans.

St. Louis was busy ahead of the 2024 season and made a flurry of moves. The biggest move of the offseason certainly was signing ace Sonny Gray to a three-year deal worth $75 million. It was a great move, and Gray was stable at the top of the Cardinals' rotation in 2024.

The Cardinals are looking to cut payroll, though, and it has been reported that the club will at least attempt to trade Gray. He is under contract for the next two years and has a no-trade clause, so there is a chance that the team won't move him.

It seems like a guarantee that they will try, though, and FanSided's Christopher Kline called the National League Central rival Cincinnati Reds as a possible landing spot in a trade.

"The Cincinnati Reds are the only team listed as a known potential suitor for Gray in the USA Today report," Kline said. "That probably means something. Gray spent three seasons in Cincy from 2019-21 and knows his way around the clubhouse. The Reds are second-to-last in the NL Central right now, so it may seem like an odd fit for an aging vet, but comfort trumps pure winning upside for a lot of players.

"There is also plenty of reason to believe the Reds can actually compete next season. Gray would presumably join All-Star Hunter Greene atop the rotation. That is a fascinating yin-and-yang for Cincy to build around — Greene melting hitters with triple-digit heat while Gray dances around them with every manner of off-speed pitch."

Although Gray has experience with the Reds, it would be surprising to see the Cardinals deal within the division. It sounds like the 2025 campaign may not be pretty for the Cardinals, but trading Gray to Cincinnati would make things worse unless it was a great package.

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