Chaim Bloom Opens Up On Cardinals’ Return In Sonny Gray-Red Sox Trade

The Boston Red Sox made a bold move to acquire pitcher Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

Boston acquired the veteran starting pitcher for pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke. The Red Sox are also receiving $20 million in cash to help pay Gray’s $41 million salary in 2026.

Following the move, Chaim Bloom, the Cardinals’ President of Baseball Operations, opened up on the return St. Louis got from Boston.

“Richard Fitts has already begun his big league career, and with his power stuff and willingness to attack the strike zone, he has the ability to start games at the highest level for many years,” Bloom said in a statement released by the Cardinals, via MassLive.

“Brandon Clarke is an exciting left-handed prospect whose ceiling rivals that of any pitcher in the minor leagues. Both have the potential to be part of our growing core for a long time, and we are happy to welcome them to the Cardinals.”

Fitts went 2-4 with a 5.00 ERA in 11 games, including 10 starts with the Red Sox last season. He’s 25 years old and has appeared in 15 career MLB games.

Clarke, meanwhile, is a left-handed pitching prospect who spent last season between A and A+. He’s Boston’s fifth-ranked prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.

Bloom, meanwhile, served as the Red Sox’s Chief Baseball Officer from 2019 until 2023.