The Cincinnati Reds could enter 2021 without two of their top starters from last season.
Cincinnati appears open to trading right-hander Sonny Gray, rival clubs told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
The Reds are weighing all trade possibilities for the 31-year-old, who has pitched well during his two seasons in Cincinnati and is set to earn $10 million per year over the next two campaigns.
| IP | ERA | FIP | WHIP | K/9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 231.1 | 3.07 | 3.33 | 1.12 | 10.8 |
The rumor is surprising because Cincinnati is likely to lose ace and National League Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer in free agency. But the Reds are planning to reduce payroll and want to take advantage of Gray's value while it's high, Rosenthal adds.
Cincinnati acquired Gray from the New York Yankees before the 2019 campaign after he struggled throughout a season-and-a-half in pinstripes.
The Nashville native has since flourished under Reds pitching coach Derek Johnson - who held the same position at Vanderbilt when Gray played for the Commodores - helping the team's rotation post the fourth-best ERA in MLB last season.