Sonny Gray, Three Other Veteran Pitchers Turn Down Qualifying Offer to Become Free Agents

The former Reds starting pitcher will become a free agent for the first time.

Former Reds starter Sonny Gray was among four pitchers who turned down qualifying offers on Tuesday, sending them to free agency. 

Aaron Nola (Phillies), Blake Snell (Padres) and reliever Josh Hader (Padres) are also free agents after turning down the qualifying offer from their respective teams. 

The trio has been floated around alongside Gray as potential targets for the Reds in free agency. 

The qualifying offer that they all turned down was for one-year, $20.325 million. Shohei Ohtani, Cody Bellinger, and Matt Chapman were other stars that also passed on the offer to hit free agency. If any of them sign with new teams in free agency, their former club will be awarded with draft pick compensation. 

Gray started 32 games for Minnesota in 2023, finishing with a 2.79 ERA and 183 strikeouts in 184 innings pitched. Despite having pitched for four clubs in his major league career, this will the first time Gray has tested the waters as a free agent. 

Nola had an up-and-down 2023 campaign in Philadelphia, finishing the season with a 4.46 ERA in 32 starts and 193.2 innings. He did have over 200 strikeouts for the fifth time in nine major league seasons. 

Snell and Hader, both left-handers expected to leave San Diego in free agency, are the most decorated and coming off of terrific 2023 seasons. 

Snell posted a 2.25 ERA in his 32 starts and won the Cy Young Award for the second time in his career. He turns 31 years old in December.

Hader was an All-Star for the fifth time in 2023, posting a 1.28 ERA in 61 games. 

The Reds have struggled with injuries and production from the starting rotation and bullpen in recent years. Gray, Nola, Snell and Hader could all make sense for Cincinnati in free agency. They're free to sign with a team at anytime.

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