Sep 19, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Baltimore Orioles listed as a trade fit for Sonny Gray

Originally posted on Baltimore Orioles on SI
By Michael Sakuraba | Last updated Oct 26, 2025 4:13 PM ET

It is no secret that the Baltimore Orioles need to improve their starting rotation in 2026. With a 2025 free agent class that lacks star power, the Orioles could instead look to the trade market to bolster their rotation.

As a team, Baltimore ranked 26th in MLB in team ERA, 27th in WHIP, and 26th in batting average against. Dean Kremer led the team with just 11 wins, while Baltimore’s lone complete game came from Trevor Rogers, who did not join the rotation until the end of May. To say that the Orioles’ pitching was the team’s Achilles heel this year is an understatement.

In a recent article on The Athletic by Jim Bowden, the MLB insider and former executive discussed St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Sonny Gray as a potential trade target for the O’s. According to Bowden, the Cardinals’ new president of baseball operations, Chaim Bloom, has already asked Gray to waive the no-trade clause in his contract. The Cardinals are looking to rebuild while trimming down their payroll, and Gray’s deal is on the chopping block.

The #STLCards and Sonny Gray could look to part ways this offseason. If a trade happens, here are the most logical suitors:https://t.co/seiVSAs4gI pic.twitter.com/Ef5NGJ0BB2
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) October 19, 2025

Gray, 35, just completed his 13th season in the big leagues, and even at the tail end of his career, he was still an effective and impactful pitcher. Even with a mediocre Cardinals squad, Gray posted a 14-8 record with a 4.28 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. The veteran led the National League among qualified pitchers with a 5.29 K/BB ratio and notched a FIP of 3.39, which indicates he was much more effective than his ERA suggests.

Tarik Skubal heads the top 10 MLB stars most likely to be traded this offseason https://t.co/uXDoiPSEH4
— Jim Bowden⚾️ (@JimBowdenGM) October 23, 2025

Bowden referenced both the Orioles and the New York Mets as potential suitors for Gray. Both teams prefer to go with shorter-term contracts for starting pitchers ; the Mets famously made it to the NLCS in 2024 using this philosophy with Sean Manaea (33), Jose Quintana (35), and Luis Severino (31).

With Rogers pitching like an ace to close the season, the remainder of the Orioles’ rotation is up in the air for next season. Cade Povich and Dean Kremer are back in 2026 under team control, but the team’s second-best pitcher this year, Tomoyuki Sugano, and 2024 trade target Zach Eflin are both unrestricted free agents. Grayson Rodriguez remains sidelined, and his role in 2026 is still up in the air.

Back-to-back 200 strikeout seasons for Sonny Gray! pic.twitter.com/0BfkUaOrii
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) September 25, 2025

A trade for Gray would make sense for the Orioles, who need a stabilizing presence in the rotation. The one caveat is that Gray has already suggested he would consider lifting his no-trade clause for a move to a contending team. It remains to be seen if Baltimore’s current situation would be attractive to Gray, as he is under contract for 2026 with a team option of $30 million in 2027.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Orioles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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