Sonny Gray, a key pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, addressed uncertainty about his future with the team after their elimination from playoff contention on Wednesday. The 35-year-old right-hander has been an important part of the Cardinals’ rotation, helping keep the team in postseason contention longer than expected during a rebuilding year.
Gray recorded seven strikeouts against the San Francisco Giants, bringing his season total to 201, but the Cardinals lost 4-3 and were officially eliminated from playoff consideration. Following the game, Gray discussed his thoughts about possibly requesting a trade in the offseason so he could join a championship-contending club as he nears the end of his career.
“I don’t know what that [future in St. Louis] looks like for me yet,” said Gray, who limited the Giants to seven hits and two earned runs over six innings. “I have enjoyed my time [with the Cardinals], and I’ve loved the people, but I came here to win. I signed here two years ago with the expectation of winning and trying to win, and that hasn’t played out that way. But I want to win, and I expect to win. I came here with the expectation to win, so I don’t know.”
Gray signed a three-year contract worth $75 million before the 2024 season that includes a no-trade clause, giving him control over potential destinations if traded for 2026. His salary for next season is $35 million.
“I’ve talked to them a bunch and I know the deal. I know the deal and I’ve had ample conversations with Chaim and all those guys,” Gray said regarding discussions with incoming president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom about future plans for 2026. “I know the direction. I am not in the right state of mind to answer that question right now.
“I think I do [have to consider a trade request], to be frank and be honest. Having said that, whether I do decide I want to go somewhere — whether that actually happens — I still don’t have complete control of that. Obviously, I have control over where I can’t go or don’t go, but I think I do [have to consider a trade]. I’m going to be 36 and it’s going to be my 14th season and the last year of my contract. I don’t know what the future holds for me.”
When asked how much longer he wants to pitch in Major League Baseball, Gray replied: “Every day!” He also noted his desire to play on teams committed to winning at a high level.
“I think as long as we expect to win, we’re going to continue to exceed expectations,” he said. “Throughout this process that this organization is going through, the more you can still expect to win and win like we’ve done, the better off it’s going to be and the faster the timeline will go without adding pieces.”
Gray made his 32nd start of 2025 on Wednesday night against San Francisco. He managed difficult situations throughout his outing but gave up home runs—including one by Rafael Devers—and was affected by defensive mistakes behind him.
The Cardinals are already rumored as likely candidates for trading third baseman Nolan Arenado this offseason; now they may also face decisions regarding their veteran ace.
“You look at our rotation and they posted every outing and [Gray] was a big part of that,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “I loved watching him throughout the year and how he thinks about the game and makes adjustments from outing to outing and he’s very honest with us about what his outing looked like. That’s part of being a competitor and he’s done a nice job.”
