Full Details Of Red Sox-Cardinals Sonny Gray Trade

The offseason is officially underway for the Boston Red Sox, as the team has reportedly made its first major move in preparation for the 2026 campaign. The team appears set to acquire veteran starting pitcher Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals in an effort to bolster its rotation.

In recent weeks, Craig Breslow made it clear he wanted to add to Boston’s pitching staff ahead of the new season. Gray wasn’t believed to be the team’s top target, but he will likely slide into Lucas Giolito’s spot now that he looks likely to depart in free agency.

As is always the case, when you acquire a star player like Gray, you have to give up something in return. According to reports, pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke are heading the other way, with Boston receiving $20 million in cash to help pay Gray’s $41 million salary in 2026.

“Full trade: Sonny Gray and $20 million to BOS, Brandon Clarke and Richard Fitts to STL. Red Sox on the hook for $21M of this,” Chris Cotillo of MassLive shared in a post on X.

Fitts filled a Swiss Army knife role for Boston in 2025, as he appeared in 11 games (10 starts) and posted a 2-4 record with a 5.00 ERA and 40 strikeouts. Clarke, who was ranked the team’s No. 5 prospect, per MLB.com, split the 2025 season at Single-A and High-A, going 0-3 in 14 starts with a 4.03 ERA and 60 strikeouts.

The Red Sox have quite a bit of pitching depth throughout their organization, and they cashed in on some of that to acquire Gray. However, the team could still look to add some help at this spot moving forward, so it will be worth keeping tabs on them as the offseason continues to unfold.