Yankees Could Land Blockbuster With $75 Million Cardinals Hurler To Boost Rotation

St. Louis will shop the frontline starter this winter

Apr 9, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; (editors note: multiple exposure image) St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Cardinals have publicly announced plans to significantly reduce payroll this winter and a few notable names could be on the trade block.

Five-time Silver Slugger Nolan Arenado has multiple years remaining on his eight-year, $260 million contract and it's likely the Cardinals will try to find a suitor for the decorated third baseman.

Another star player on the list of potential winter trade candidates could be a fit for the American League East champion New York Yankees.

Cardinals right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray signed a backloaded three-year, $75 million deal with St. Louis last offseason -- $25 million due in 2025 and $35 million in 2026.

Gray logged a 13-9 record with a 3.84 ERA, 203-to-39 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .228 batting average against and a 1.09 WHIP in 166 1/3 innings pitched for the Cardinals this season.

Despite floundering towards the end of the season, Gray is still considered a frontline starter and would be a solid addition to the Yankees rotation, which could be shorthanded next year if Nestor Cortes's latest elbow flexor strain requires surgery.

Cortes is also entering his final year of arbitration, so the Yankees might want to trade the southpaw before he's eligible for a significant pay raise with the Bronx Bombers this winter.

Adding Gray to a rotation with reigning AL Cy Young RHP Gerrit Cole would make the Yankees an even scarier team to face than they already are. Would New York be willing to take on the remainder of Gray's backloaded contract to upgrade the rotation?

More MLB: Orioles Could Poach $21.2 Million Star From Cardinals To Add Veteran Leadership