Sonny Gray (34), who has won 98 games in 11 years in the Major League, will wear the St. Louis Cardinals uniform. 먹튀검증
Reporter Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic said on the 28th (Korea Standard Time), "According to sources, the Cardinals have agreed to a contract with right-hander Sonny Gray. It is a three-year, $75 million condition, he said. "The Cardinals have not yet confirmed the contract, but it will be officially announced as soon as the physical examination is completed."
St. Louis seems to have achieved some of its biggest offseason task, strengthening its rotation, by recruiting another veteran starter last week, following Lance Lynn (36) and Kyle Gibson (36).
MLB.com said, "The contract between the Cardinals and Gray was made in a surprise move ahead of the Major League Winter Meeting, which is a week away. Gray's hometown is Smuna, Tennessee, 33 miles from St. Louis,' he said, adding that his geographical location was the reason that led Gray to the Cardinals.
However, Gray has risen to the rank of special treatment, receiving $25 million in average annual salary (AAV), up from his season high of $12.8 million this year.
Minnesota Twins' Sonny Gray throws the ball vigorously in Game 2 of the wild card series against the Toronto Blue Jays on October 5 (Korea time). AFP Yonhap News Agency
Gray pitched 184 innings in 32 games for the Minnesota Twins this season, posting an 8-8 record, 2.79 ERA and 183 strikeouts, ranking second in the AL Cy Young Award voting behind winner New York Yankees Gerrit Cole.
Gray, who made his major league debut with the Oakland Athletics in 2013, posted an 11-year career record of 98-85 with a 3.47 ERA and 1521 strikeouts with the Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota. He was on the injured list three times each in 2021 and 2022, but he played a full-time rotation with a healthy body this season.
Gray has a lot of experience with NL Central teams because he was with Cincinnati for three years from 2019 to 2021. He was traded to Minnesota in March last year after playing in 68 games for Cincinnati with a 23-20 record and a 3.49 ERA.
St. Louis ranked 26th out of 30 teams with a 5.07 ERA for starters this season. It was a big difference from the bullpen's 4.47 ERA. For this reason, St. Louis President John Mozeliak publicly declared after the season that he plans to "reinforce more than three starters."
With this, St. Louis completed a five-man rotation that led to Miles Mikolas, Steven Mats, Lynn, Gibson, and Gray. But it's interesting that all five of them are veterans in their 30s or older. Mycolas is 35, Mats is 32, and Lynn and Gibson are 36 years old side by side.
Since the original team Minnesota had offered Gray a qualifying offer, St. Louis will be compensated for the nomination between the first round and the Competitive Balance Round A in next year's draft.