Well in what’s been a year and a half experiment go awry the Yankees have come to the realization that it’s a “Gray” day for Sonny in New York. In the season closing press conference Yankees, General Manager Brian Cashman said that Sonny Gray may be better suited elsewhere. So we’ll take a look at ten potential landing spots for a Sonny Gray trade. (In no particular order.)
Yankees are open-minded to trading Sonny Gray, says Brian Cashman. pic.twitter.com/CbezfLuhRQ
— YES Network (@YESNetwork) October 12, 2018
# 1 Pittsburgh Pirates
Over the last several seasons the Yankees and Pirates have teamed up to make numerous trades. And when the players land in the Steel City they find a level of success they were seemingly unable to receive in the Bronx. Sonny Gray could make his way to Pittsburgh and find a renewed sense of his pitching ability in the same way AJ Burnett or Ivan Nova did when they went to the Pirates.
# 2 San Francisco Giants
Another potential landing spot for Sonny Gray would be the San Francisco Giants. Although the Giants’s farm system isn’t quite what it once was it still holds some potential hidden gems in it. And with the injury to Didi Gregorius, the Yankees can explore the avenues of a potential Joe Panik or maybe even the sure-handed Brandon Crawford to even out a deal.
# 3 St. Louis Cardinals
Much like the Giants, the St. Louis Cardinals don’t quite have the depth they once had. But that’s not to say they don’t have quality pieces to trade from, I mean just look at the Luke Voit trade. Once believed to be just a mild-mannered way to clear an extra roster spot, the trade for Voit proved a move of quality and necessity. And there’s no reason to believe that Sonny Gray couldn’t bring back a similar underrated return.
# 4 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Angels Gm Billy Eppler and Yankees GM Brian Cashman are close friends. And prior to going to Anaheim to be the GM Eppler was a part of Cashman’s team on the Yanks. So it would make sense given where the two clubs are on the win-curve that they could potentially work out a deal. Sonny Gray is not a bad pitcher but he has not been able to handle the limelight if the big city. Anaheim could provide Gray the avoidance to the spotlight he seems to need to succeed. Trading for one of the Angels starters in a one for one trade seems the most likely trade to be worked between these clubs.
# 5 Minnesota Twins
Just like with the Pirates the Yanks have made a few moves with the Minnesota Twins that have worked out well for the Bronx Bombers. Minnesota was a surprise team in 2017. However, 2018 would be a big-time regression for the young ballclub. A young but still veteran pitcher with a down year of his own can bond with the group in the Twin Cities. And all parties involved can see it as an opportunity for growth and development.
# 6 Arizona Diamondbacks
There have been a lot of rumors since the regular season ended that the Diamondbacks are actively shopping their stars. Players like Zack Greinke and Paul Goldschmidt have already been speculated to be connected to the Yankees. And if those rumors are to be believed then Sonny Gray could easily become part of a deal involving the D-Backs.
# 7 Seattle Mariners
The most active GM in baseball is likely to be on the hot seat in 2019. As Jerry DiPoto has made a ton of moves since becoming the Mariners GM. And with Seattle facing the longest active playoff drought in North American sports something much be done. The Yanks and Mariners have hooked up for trades including this season. So another deal isn’t out of the realm of possibility. If Sonny Gray finds his way to the northwest in the expansive ballpark that is Safeco Field, he can field the success he once had in Oakland.
# 8 Milwaukee Brewers
Although the Brewers are in the playoffs and employing a modified “bullpenning” attack. The will use a more “traditional” pitching approach in the regular season. And with that looking towards 2019 they can use reinforcements. With that, the Brewers pitching coach has a direct connection with Sonny Gray. Brewers pitching coach Derek Johnson was Gray’s coach during his time at Vanderbilt. And reconnecting with Johnson may give Gray the stability he has seemingly lack in his time in the Bronx.
# 9 Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves have been known for pitching since the days of Maddux, Glavine, and Smoltz. And more recently they have continued that with pitchers like Mike Foltynewicz. A pitcher like Gray can benefit from that environment. As well as a park that is said to lean towards pitchers over hitters, instead of the bandbox that is Yankee Stadium.
# 10 Chicago White Sox
While the White Sox are still a rebuilding ballclub they like the Twins can benefit from a veteran presence. And with the fact that Gray has been dealing with adversity he can grow as a pitcher alongside of the young flamethrowers the South Siders have at their employ. The White Six have one of the better farm systems in baseball and that should make a deal easy to make.
