The Boston Red Sox have reportedly traded for Sonny Gray. The three-time All-Star starting pitcher is headed to Boston, while Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke are headed to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange. While Gray is set to earn essentially $41 million next year, the Red Sox will only be paying $21 million of that, with the Cards paying the rest, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. Even so, Red Sox fans are confused about whether or not Gray was just acquired to be Boston’s No. 2 starter, or whether another big acquisition is on the way (perhaps in the form of Freddy Peralta or Joe Ryan). Gray’s All-Star appearances and career accomplishments make him look like a viable No. 2 starter on paper, but he’s 36 years old. Red Sox fans have been hoping that Boston’s next No. 2 behind Garrett Crochet would be a pitcher in their prime (a la Peralta or Ryan), not a guy like Gray who, while still valuable, might not be at the peak of his powers. Story continues below advertisement But is that selling Gray short? He did finish second in AL Cy Young voting as recently as 2023 (as a member of the Minnesota Twins), and he was very solid in 2025 for St. Louis: 14-8 record with an ERA of 4.28 and 201 strikeouts in 32 appearances. On the surface, this is a high price for the Red Sox to take on for one year of Sonny Gray.But the structure of the deal could setup for more moves. If they land a legit No. 2 Joe Ryan type, this move makes sense.If they don’t, hard to see how this deal alone moves needle. https://t.co/dwvTmsWlFW — Joon Lee (@joonlee) November 25, 2025 Fans are waiting to see what this all means. If Gray was just acquired as a precursor to more moves (including another high-profile starter), it’s a win. Story continues below advertisement The most realistic interpretation is probably that the Red Sox just acquired Gray as insurance against an ultimately unpredictable outcome in their hunt for a No. 2. Boston will surely be pursuing a big arm, but if deals fall through, they’ve already secured a proven starter in Gray, who is at worst a plus-starter at the back of the rotation, and at best, yes, a No. 2 behind Crochet. This appears to have been a wise trade by Boston, and as the offseason progresses and the confusion dissipates, that should become more clear. Story continues below advertisement