ST. LOUIS — The fallout from another disappointing season in St. Louis has reached a breaking point. Cardinals right-hander Sonny Gray revealed in a candid postgame interview that he is prepared to consider waiving his no-trade clause, opening the door to what could be one of the most dramatic offseason shakeups in recent franchise history.
“I signed here two years ago with the expectation of winning and trying to win, and that hasn’t played out that way,” Gray admitted, speaking with rare honesty. “I want to win, and I expect to win. I think I do want to consider waiving my no-trade, just to be frank and honest.”
The comments, first reported by Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, sent shockwaves across the league. Gray, 35, still has significant name value and veteran presence, but is coming off a down year with a 4.28 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. He is set to earn $35 million next season and has a $30 million club option for 2027, making him both a financial burden and a potential trade asset depending on how rival teams evaluate his bounce-back potential.
The Cardinals’ ownership, led by Bill DeWitt Jr., has already signaled a pivot toward long-term restructuring, emphasizing player development and youth movement. At the same time, fans are growing restless after back-to-back losing seasons, demanding immediate upgrades to return the team to postseason contention.
Gray’s openness to a trade gives the front office options. They can shop him to contenders desperate for rotation help, potentially securing young talent in return. Teams like the San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Yankees have already been speculated as potential suitors.
However, moving Gray would also leave St. Louis with an even thinner veteran presence in a rotation that has struggled with consistency and durability. It’s the type of decision that could define the Cardinals’ competitive timeline.
Gray’s deal, once celebrated as a stabilizing move for the rotation, now sits in an awkward space. The $35 million owed in 2026 is hefty for a 35-year-old coming off an underwhelming season, yet his club option for 2027 gives any acquiring team potential cost control if he rebounds.
For the Cardinals, trading Gray could free up salary flexibility to pursue younger, frontline pitching in free agency or through additional trades. But if no strong market develops, they may be forced to hold onto him and gamble on a bounce-back campaign.
Gray’s comments also raise questions about the mood inside the Cardinals’ clubhouse. Players like Brendan Donovan, Masyn Winn, and Nolan Gorman have been cited as cornerstones of the youth movement, but veterans like Gray were supposed to be the glue between eras.
Hearing a respected veteran publicly question the trajectory of the organization underscores the urgency of this offseason. Fans are now wondering: if Gray wants out, how many others are quietly thinking the same?
According to Goold, the Cardinals will “explore” trade interest this winter and then sit down with Gray to discuss his preferences. Because of his no-trade clause, the pitcher wields significant control over where he lands. That could limit the market — or, alternatively, allow St. Louis to strike a mutually beneficial deal with a contender of Gray’s choosing.
For now, the only certainty is uncertainty. The Cardinals have entered an offseason where every decision carries weight — and the Sonny Gray situation has now become the defining storyline of the winter in St. Louis.
As Gray himself put it: “I want to win, and I expect to win.” Whether that happens in St. Louis or elsewhere remains the Cardinals’ most pressing question.
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