Will Sonny Gray Be Wearing Pinstripes Next Season?
Either you’re cut out for playing for one of the biggest franchises in the game or you’re not.
- Sonny Gray's future likely won't be with the Yankees. After Gray's continued struggles in his first season-and-a-half in New York, the Yankees will try to trade the right-hander this offseason, general manager Brian Cashman said Friday at the team's season-ending press conference. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344
"It hasn't worked out thus far," Cashman said. "I think he's extremely talented. I think that we'll enter the winter, unfortunately, open-minded to a relocation. Probably, if he can maximize his abilities, it will more likely be best somewhere else. But then it comes down to the final decision of the price, in terms of trade acquisition and matching up with somebody. If we match up, then I think, yeah, it's probably best to try this somewhere else." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344
The Yankees traded for Gray prior to the 2017 non-waiver Trade Deadline in a major deal with the A's, in the hopes that the former All-Star would be the missing piece in their starting rotation through the season's stretch run and into the playoffs. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344
But while Gray had some high points -- including five innings of one-hit baseball against the Astros in the Yankees' Game 4 win in the 2017 American League Championship Series -- he never lived up to his potential. He struggled badly this season, with a 5.56 ERA through his first 21 starts before he was removed from the starting rotation and sent to the bullpen. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344
"There were times that he obviously showed what he was capable of, but he was inconsistent. And he's a good guy, he's very well liked in that clubhouse from what I understand. But it just hasn't worked here. So at some point it's on me to find something that will work better. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344
"I want to give [manager] Aaron Boone players he can deploy with great confidence, so that he has a chance for a successful outcome. If he has Sonny Gray still here come March, he will do everything in his power with [pitching coach Larry Rothschild] and [bullpen coach Mike Harkey] to get the most out of his ability. But at this seat right now, I would predict that it's in our best interest to see if we can match up with somebody and give them an opportunity to do that somewhere else. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344
"I think they'll be in a better position to unlock what he's really truly capable of and what we saw in Oakland, where he was a competent starter. It's all in there, still. There's no health issues. It's just, sometimes, things happen along the way, and we had that unfortunately." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344
Gray was left off the Yankees' postseason rosters for both the AL Wild Card Game and Division Series. He had an especially difficult time pitching at Yankee Stadium, where he had a 6.98 ERA this year, compared with a 3.17 mark on the road. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344
"Sonny Gray's not a bad makeup guy," Cashman said. "Someone, if they trade for him, is going to get the player that we wanted. If and when that happens, I fully expect that. But it just hasn't worked out here. It's not because he wasn't trying to be the best he could be, but for whatever reason it just didn't play well, it got on the wrong side of the mountain, and then the momentum of negativity in terms of performance kept going and we couldn't stop it." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344
The 28-year-old, who made $6.5 million under arbitration this year, is controllable for one more season, arbitration-eligible for 2019 before he's scheduled to become a free agent in 2020. Still, despite his team-friendly contract, Cashman said he thinks the best option is to pursue a trade for Gray, to send him somewhere where he has a better opportunity to be successful. “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344
"While he's here, we're going to do everything in our power to try to find a way to tap into his talent. We've been unable to do that now for a year-and-a-half," Cashman said. "So we'll see. Just stay tuned. I've got nothing cooking, but I will plan on doing some cooking if I can over time. For his sake and for ours." “according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-will-seek-to-trade-sonny-gray/c-297715344