The Boston Red Sox are having one of their worst seasons in recent memory.
Currently 12 games under .500 through 66 games, not much has gone right for the team.
The hitting/run production has been atrocious, with the Red Sox near the bottom of every offensive category.
However, the pitching has been something going right for the team, and perhaps the only thing keeping them from being the worst team in the majors.
One of those bright spots on the pitching staff has been veteran starter Sonny Gray.
Mark Feinsand of MLB.com says his stock is only rising before the deadline.
Why Is Boston Red Sox Starter Sonny Gray’s Stock Rising?
The Oakland Athletics selected Gray in the first round of the 2011 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt University.
The three-time All-Star has pitched for six teams, including Boston, accumulating 132 wins and a 3.57 ERA in 341 starts.
In 2023, he was runner-up in Cy Young voting to Gerrit Cole.
After the 2025 season, the St. Louis Cardinals traded Gray to Boston in exchange for Richard Fitts and prospects.
In 11 starts with Boston in 2026, Gray has pitched to a 3.20 ERA in 56.1 innings. With Boston’s poor performance this season, Gray has become a major trade candidate because of his success.
Because of this, Feinsand believes his stock is only rising.
“Gray is in the final guaranteed year of his contract, earning $31 million this season with a $10 million buyout on a $30 million club option for 2027 (which Gray can opt out of if it’s exercised), though the Cardinals are paying down some of that salary as part of the trade that landed the pitcher in Boston,” Feinsand wrote. “The 36-year-old is 7-1 with a 3.20 ERA in 11 starts this season, but he’s 5-0 with a 2.43 ERA in six outings since returning from a hamstring injury, making him one of the better starters (in the non-Tarik Skubal category) who could be available this summer.”
While teams could be scared off by the money due to the veteran pitcher, should he be a hot commodity this deadline?
Should Gray Be a Hot Commodity?
Gray is a five-pitch pitcher. However, he can’t get as high in velocity as he used to due to his advanced age (averaging 92 mph on his fastball this year).
According to Baseball Savant, Gray is getting lucky for the Red Sox, with his stuff not being as good as it used to be.
His xERA is at 4.55, much higher than his actual ERA. This is likely due to him not striking out as many batters as in the past.
His K% is at 18.9%, in the 28th percentile and his expected batting average is at .271, good for the 16th percentile.
But what is making his performance quite confusing is that his breaking run value has gone down from the 97th percentile to just the fourth percentile in one season.
Coupled with his hefty 2027 option and high salary for the 2026 season, teams should be reticent to give up much for Gray.
A 36-year-old with declining stuff due for overall regression shouldn’t fetch much. So, maybe the Red Sox will hold onto him if they don’t receive an offer to their liking.
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