Could we see former A's ace Sonny Gray return to the Bay Area? MLB Insider Jon Heyman reported Monday that several teams have expressed interest in trading for the starter, and says the Reds are "gauging interest."
A return to Oakland almost certainly wouldn't be in the cards, but could we see the Giants pull the trigger on potentially acquiring Gray?
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There's a lot to like about the 31-year-old. In 11 starts for Cincinnati last season, Gray went 5-3 with a 3.70 ERA, helping lead the Reds to the postseason. Gray didn't get the chance to pitch in the playoffs as Cincinnati was swept in the Wild Card round.
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Gray is under contract for the next three years, and is scheduled to earn $10.1 million next season, $10.3 million in 2022 and has a $12 million team option for 2023. Among pitchers with 225-plus innings since the start of 2019, Gray has the eighth-best Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) in MLB.
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A two-time All-Star and the Reds' Opening Day starter in 2020, Gray immediately could come in and be at least a No. 2 or No. 3 starter for the Giants, if not No. 1, with Johnny Cueto and Kevin Gausman expected to lead the rotation as of now. In his last full 162-game season (2019), Gray finished with a 2.90 ERA, which becomes even more remarkable when considering half of his games came in the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark.
Gray primarily relies on his curveball, which he is in the 93rd percentile of MLB pitchers for spin rate on. Add in a slider and four-seam fastball that both average 93 mph, and Gray has three very solid pitches in his arsenal.
Cincinnati seems to be interested in cutting costs, as the team dealt Raisel Iglesias to the Los Angeles Angels Monday for reliever Noe Ramirez and a player to be named later. The Giants have a much stronger farm system than the organization did just a few years ago, but president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi has been shrewd about going after deals where he feels like he is getting good value.
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Gray does already have over 1,100 innings under his belt in MLB, and the former first-round draft pick likely is in line to be the Reds' No. 1 starter once again as Trevor Bauer isn't expected to re-sign after winning the NL Cy Young in 2020. The Reds' pitching depth would take a major hit if both Bauer and Gray depart this offseason, but general manager Nick Krall has emphasized that the team is looking to "reallocate resources" and would like to bring in a starting shortstop (h/t ESPN).
If Zaidi and the Reds can find the right combination of prospects, this could end up being a deal that benefits both sides. If the Giants want to compete with the surging Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Pades in the NL West, they'll need to be aggressive this offseason.
Gray would be a pretty good start on that front.