| Sonny Gray | |
|---|---|
 Gray with the Oakland Athletics in 2017 | |
| St. Louis Cardinals – No. 54 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1989-11-07)November 7, 1989 (age 36) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 10, 2013, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 125–102 |
| Earned run average | 3.58 |
| Strikeouts | 1,925 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Sonny Douglas Gray (born November 7, 1989) is an American professionalbaseballpitcher for theSt. Louis Cardinals ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for theOakland Athletics,New York Yankees,Cincinnati Reds, andMinnesota Twins.
Gray attendedVanderbilt University and playedcollege baseball for theVanderbilt Commodores. The Athletics selected Gray in the first round of the2011 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2013, won theAmerican LeaguePitcher of the Month Award twice in 2014, and has been named anMLB All-Star in 2015, 2019, and 2023. He was the American LeagueCy Young Award runner-up in 2023.
Gray was born inNashville, Tennessee, to Cindy and Jesse Gray, and lived in Nashville until his family moved toSmyrna, Tennessee, before his eighth-grade year. His father died in a car accident during Gray's freshman year of high school, just as Gray started playing baseball forSmyrna High School.[1][2]
As a freshman, he pitched and played left field and was named Freshman of the Year in District 9AAA. As a sophomore, he suffered injuries and saw limited action during the season. As a junior, he led his team to the 2007 State Tournament with an 11–2win–loss record and a 0.95earned run average (ERA). This earned him a nod for theAFLAC All-American High School Baseball Classic, and a nomination for National Player of the Year (whichTim Melville ultimately won). As a senior, he went 4–0 with a 0.79 ERA. However, he was injured in a district game in April 2008 that ended his season. He also excelled at the plate, batting over .500 his last two seasons at Smyrna, but instead opted to pitch in college.[citation needed]
In addition to his success on the mound, he also playedquarterback for Smyrna's football team, guiding them to back-to-back 5A State titles in 2006 and 2007.[3] He was votedGatorade Player of the Year byThe Tennessean in 2007 and 2008 for his overall athletic success. Gray also was involved in other extra-curricular activities in high school. He starred as the lead character (Troy Bolton) in his school's rendition ofHigh School Musical on Stage![4][5]
Having already made a verbal commitment toVanderbilt University before Smyrna's state tournament run, he was drafted in the 27th round by theChicago Cubs in the2008 MLB Draft. He did not sign with the team.
As a freshman for theVanderbilt Commodores baseball team, he began as arelief pitcher, earning foursaves before moving to a starter's role late in the season. He posted a 4.30 ERA, which he would improve upon in the next two years. He was designated as the ace of Vanderbilt's pitching staff in 2010 and 2011. In 2010, he went 10–5 with a 3.48 ERA, and led the team instrikeouts (113). Gray's junior year was his most successful, as he went 12–4 with a 2.43 ERA and 132 strikeouts. He also helped Vanderbilt earn their first-everCollege World Series berth, making it to the semifinals and losing to national runner-upFlorida.
Gray was selected 18th overall by theOakland Athletics in the2011 MLB draft.[6] He elected to forgo his senior year at Vanderbilt, and signed with Oakland for a $1.54 millionsigning bonus.[7] After he signed, the Athletics assigned Gray to theMidland RockHounds of theDouble-ATexas League.[8] The next year, Gray began his season with Midland. There, he posted a 4.14 ERA before being promoted to theSacramento River Cats of theTriple-APacific Coast League, where he struggled in his only start.[9]
To start the 2013 season, Gray returned to the River Cats, where he posted a 2.81 ERA and was selected to start theTriple-A All-Star Game for thePacific Coast League.[citation needed]
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On July 10, 2013, Gray was called up to replaceDan Straily, who had been optioned to Triple-A.[10] He made his first major league appearance out of the bullpen, in relief ofJerry Blevins, against thePittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh. Gray pitched two innings, tallying three strikeouts and allowing a single hit. He allowed neither a run nor a walk. Gray made a second relief appearance nine days later against theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim but was then sent back down to the minors.[citation needed]
Gray was recalled again by the Athletics on August 10, and made his first Major League start againstMark Buehrle and theToronto Blue Jays in Toronto.[11] This was supposed to be just a spot start inTommy Milone's place in the rotation after Milone's struggles and subsequent option down to Triple-A Sacramento. However, Gray would later become a fixture in the A's rotation as the fifth starter. Gray's first major league win came againstErik Bedard and theHouston Astros in his home debut. He pitched 8 shutout innings to earn a 5–0 win.[citation needed] On September 22, Gray pitched and won the AL West Division-clinching game against theMinnesota Twins. He finished the regular season, going 5–3 in 12 games (10 starts) with a 2.67 ERA, striking out 67 in 64 innings.[citation needed]
On October 5, Gray started Game 2 of theAmerican League Division Series againstJustin Verlander and theDetroit Tigers. In a no-decision effort, he pitched eight scoreless innings before a 9th inning walk-off hit byStephen Vogt resulted in a 1–0 Oakland win.[12] In a surprise move, Gray was elected to start Game 5 overBartolo Colón. FacingJustin Verlander, Gray pitched 5+ innings, giving up six hits and three runs, getting the loss in the 3–0 game.[13]
Despite not having previously been on anOpening Day roster, Gray made his first career Opening Day start on March 31, 2014, against theCleveland Indians. He started the season 4–1 with a 1.76 ERA, while also recording his first complete game shutout, and 37 strikeouts in 41.0 innings pitched over six starts in April. For his early success, he was named AL Pitcher of the Month for the first time in his career. He would later go on to win AL Pitcher of the Month for July, as well. On the final day of the regular season, Sonny clinched the Athletics' third consecutive playoff spot with a complete game win on the road against theTexas Rangers. The A's would go on to lose the2014 AL Wild Card Game to theKansas City Royals in extra innings.
Gray was tabbed for a second straight Opening Day start for the Oakland Athletics on April 6, 2015, against the Texas Rangers. He pitched eight innings and allowed only one hit, holding the Rangers hitless until the eighth inning.[citation needed] Gray continued his success through mid-July, as he held a 10–3 record and a 2.04 ERA at the All-Star Break.[citation needed] He was selected to his first All-Star Game. He did not appear in the All-Star Game because he had started for the Athletics on the Sunday before the game.[14]
Gray finished the season 14–7 with a 2.73 ERA. He finished third in the American LeagueCy Young Award voting, behind winnerDallas Keuchel andDavid Price.[15] Gray failed to improve on his successful 2015 season, suffering multiple setbacks that twice landed him on the disabled list.[16] He finished the season with a 5–11 record with a 5.69 ERA.[citation needed]
Gray was going to pitch for Team USA in the2017 World Baseball Classic, but he failed to meet the requirements for insurance coverage and was unable to.[17] On July 31, 2017, theOakland Athletics traded Gray to theNew York Yankees in exchange forDustin Fowler,Jorge Mateo, andJames Kaprielian.[18] The Yankees would advance to theALCS after overcoming a 2–0 series deficit against theCleveland Indians in theALDS, with Gray having been the losing pitcher for Game 1 after giving up three runs in 3.1 innings. New York would go on to lose the ALCS in seven games to the eventualWorld Series championHouston Astros. Gray started Game 4 for the Yankees, lasting five innings while allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit.[19][20]
Gray struggled throughout his tenure as a starter in 2018, eventually losing his rotation spot to newly acquired teammateLance Lynn after giving up seven runs in2+2⁄3 innings to the Baltimore Orioles on August 1.[21] Although his road ERA was a respectable 3.62, his ERA at Yankee Stadium was inflated at 7.71 and his total record as a Yankee prior to his demotion to the bullpen was 12–15 and a 4.85 ERA.[22]
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On January 21, 2019, the Yankees traded Gray andReiver Sanmartin to theCincinnati Reds forShed Long Jr. and a competitive balance draft pick in the2019 MLB draft.[23] The trade reunited him with pitching coachDerek Johnson, his pitching coach at Vanderbilt, and catching partnerCurt Casali. Gray signed a three-year contract extension with the Reds prior to the trade.[24] The Yankees then traded Long to theSeattle Mariners forJosh Stowers.[25] After a relatively disappointing tenure with the Yankees, Gray bounced back his first year with the Reds. Going 11–8 with a 2.87 ERA, 1.084 WHIP, and a career best 10.5 strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate, Gray placed 7th in the NL Cy Young Award voting.[26] Also, just days before the All-Star Game, Gray was named a replacement forMax Scherzer. This was Gray's second All-Star nomination and first since 2015.
In 2020, he was 5–3 with a 3.70 ERA.[27] He led the NL inwild pitches, with seven.[28] In 2021, Gray posted a 7–9 record with a 4.19 ERA and 155 strikeouts over135+1⁄3 innings in 26 starts.
On March 13, 2022, the Reds traded Gray to theMinnesota Twins with Francis Peguero in exchange forChase Petty.[29]
On November 6, 2022, the Twins picked up Gray's $12 million team option for the 2023 season.[30] At the midseason of the 2023 season, Gray for the third time of his career was designated as a pitcher for the American League in the2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.[31]
On November 27, 2023, Gray signed a three-year contract with theSt. Louis Cardinals for $75 Million. The deal also includes a club option for 2027.[32] He made his debut on April 9, 2024, against thePhiladelphia Phillies, pitching five scoreless innings and picking up the win.[33] In 28 starts for the Cardinals during the year, Gray compiled a 13-9 record and 3.84 ERA with 203 strikeouts across166+1⁄3 innings pitched.[34]
On June 27, 2025, Gray pitched aMaddux, throwing only 89 pitches in a complete-game shutout versus theCleveland Guardians, with 11 strikeouts, no walks, and only 1 hit allowed.[35]
Gray's pitch repertoire includes a four-seamfastball from 91–95 miles per hour (146–153 km/h), aslider between 84–88 miles per hour (135–142 km/h), acurveball that ranges from 79–83 miles per hour (127–134 km/h), acutter/two seam fastball between 89–92 miles per hour (143–148 km/h), and achangeup at 86–88 miles per hour (138–142 km/h).[citation needed]
Gray and his wife Jessica were married on November 12, 2016. The couple have two sons.[36] They reside in Nashville.[37]
