The Boston Red Sox are beefing up their rotation behind ace Garrett Crochet.
The Red Sox have acquired right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported Tuesday.
The return package for the Cardinals is left-handed pitcher Brandon Clarke and right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The Red Sox will also receive cash as part of the deal
Gray had a full no-trade clause but waived it to facilitate the move.
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Gray reworked his deal into a one-year contract worth $31 million in 2026 with a mutual option buyout of $10 million for 2027. He was previously set to earn $35 million in salary in 2026, with a $5 million buyout on a $30 million club option for 2027.
The 36-year-old was solid in 2025 for St. Louis, pitching to a 4.28 ERA and a 1.234 WHIP with a 14-8 record in 32 starts. He led the National League in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 5.29.
A three-time all-star, Gray joined the Cardinals as a free agent in November of 2023 on a three-year, $75 million contract.
The Smyrna, Tenn., native has a career 3.58 ERA and 1.197 WHIP over 13 seasons in the MLB, split between the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins and Cardinals.
He’ll now join a Red Sox rotation fronted by AL Cy Young finalist Crochet, Brayan Bello and youngsters Connelly Early and Payton Tolle.
The jewel of the return package for the Cardinals is Clarke, the Red Sox’s fifth-ranked prospect.
Clarke, 22, put up a 4.03 ERA in 14 starts split between single-A and high-A. He was selected by the Red Sox in the fifth round of the 2024 draft out of the State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota.
Fitts, meanwhile, has been a depth arm for the Red Sox the last two seasons. The 25-year-old had a 2-4 record with a 5.00 ERA and 1.311 WHIP in 11 appearances and 10 starts in 2025.
