Red Sox Set Up To Make More ‘Impactful Moves’ After Sonny Gray Trade, Claims Insider

The Boston Red Sox made the first big move of the offseason by acquiring starting pitcher Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday.

Boston acquired Gray, along with $20 million for pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke. MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported on Tuesday that Gray’s deal only counts as $21 million toward Boston’s luxury tax with the money included by the Cardinals.

With the Red Sox filling the need in the rotation, MLB insider Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic believes this sets the table for Boston to make more impactful moves.

“If the Red Sox decide to go all in on a big bat, they will have the money to do so,” McCaffrey wrote in a piece published on Wednesday. … Boston’s well-stocked farm system, in addition to a group of young outfielders, also gives the Red Sox options to bolster the team on the trade market. In acquiring Gray while only parting with Clarke and Fitts, Boston has kept their system well stocked.

“The addition of Gray offers a rotation upgrade. Whether the Red Sox add further to the rotation or allocate significant resources to a free-agent hitter (or two) is unknown. But they’ve set themselves up to make impactful moves this offseason.”

The Red Sox are linked to several impact bats, like a reunion with Alex Bregman, as well as signing Pete Alonso and Kyle Schwarber.

Regardless, McCaffrey believes the Gray trade is just the first of many key moves Craig Breslow and Boston make this offseason.