The Boston Red Sox swung a big trade on Tuesday, landing the veteran right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals.
On paper, it seems like a great move for Boston. They needed a rotation complement to Garrett Crochet, and Gray is still a very effective pitcher.
But there’s one aspect that looks less than ideal: Gray has been awful in his career in Fenway Park.
Gray’s career stats as a pitcher in Fenway Park:
- 0-4 record
- 6.84 ERA in 26.1 innings
- .325 opponent batting average
- .895 opponent OPS
Now yes, a 26.1-inning sample size isn’t big. So maybe this is nothing.
But this is the second-worst ERA Gray has in any ballpark, only better than 9.2 innings of 9.31 ERA at Chase Field in Arizona.
Gray isn’t a massive strikeout pitcher. Maybe there’s something to the idea of hitters utilizing that big target of the Green Monster well against Gray in Fenway.
Of course, until now, he always would’ve been facing the Red Sox there. Now, he’ll be playing for the Red Sox. He’ll get a more comfortable home locker room, and time to get comfortable with the mound there as the season goes along.
This is no sure thing of doom. It’s just interesting.
Some pitchers love certain road ballparks. But at least from a production standpoint, Gray probably doesn’t have many fond memories of Fenway Park. He’ll try to make some new ones now.
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