Braves Rumors: Atlanta Among Favorites to Trade for Cardinals’ Two-Time All-Star Sonny Gray.vc
The Atlanta Braves are coming off a disappointing 2025 season, finishing with a lackluster record and missing the playoffs, per MLB.com. Fans are hoping GM Alex Anthopoulos makes big moves this offseason, especially for starting pitching—the most expensive need in free agency. Instead of overpaying for free agents, Anthopoulos might target trade options, and the St. Louis Cardinals could be sellers under new president Chaim Bloom, who replaced John Mozeliak. The Cardinals, after years of average results, might start a rebuild by trading veterans. One big name: right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray, a two-time All-Star, and the Braves are listed as one of the top teams likely to land him, per MLB Trade Rumors.
Why the Braves Are a Top Fit for Sonny Gray
MLB Trade Rumors highlighted nine teams that could match for Gray this winter, but the Braves stand out alongside the San Francisco Giants and Baltimore Orioles as the best fits. Gray, turning 36 soon, has a full no-trade clause and is owed $35 million over the next two seasons ($25M in 2026, $10M in 2027), plus a $30M club option for 2028. These are hurdles, but the Cardinals are open to eating some salary to make a deal work, per reports. If St. Louis covers enough (say, $10M-$15M), the net cost drops to $20M-$25M for Atlanta—affordable for a durable ace.
Gray’s 2025 stats: 4.28 ERA and 1.4 bWAR in 32 starts, but his underlying numbers were stronger—a league-leading 5.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio and 3.39 FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching), per FanGraphs. He’s been ultra-reliable, making 92 starts over the last three seasons (about 30 per year). For the Braves, who missed a dependable veteran starter amid injuries to Spencer Strider and others in 2025, Gray fills that role perfectly. His trade cost should be lower than cheaper free agents because of the salary, meaning Atlanta might not give up top prospects.
The Braves have exciting young arms like AJ Smith-Shawver waiting, but Gray’s experience could stabilize the rotation alongside Chris Sale (2024 Cy Young winner, 15-6 in 2025) and a recovering Strider. This fits Anthopoulos’s style—smart trades like Sale’s $38M deal that paid off big.
Other Rumors and Context
- Twins Manager Search: Another name popped up in Minnesota’s hunt for a new skipper after firing Rocco Baldelli—the Kansas City Royals’ third-base coach, per reports. Baldelli himself said he’s open to managing again if the fit is right.
- Red Sox Drama: Alex Bregman walked away from Boston after a $120M deal fell apart, causing locker room splits and heartbreak, but it brought unexpected relief as the team looks ahead.
- Cowboys vs. Commanders: Dak Prescott and Dallas gear up for an NFC East clash with Washington, a key rivalry game.
- Orioles’ Adley Rutschman: The catcher faces make-or-break pressure in 2026 to deliver a breakout after solid but not elite years.
- Inspirational Story: A man with a shattered back, once crawling in pain, now runs and inspires millions with his comeback.
For the Braves, landing Gray could be the “Sonny day” they’ve needed—pairing him with Sale and Strider for a fearsome trio, much like the Maddux-Glavine-Smoltz era. With the Cardinals likely dealing him, Atlanta’s in prime position if salary relief happens.
