Mar 20, 2018; Jupiter, FL, USA; A St. Louis Cardinals hat with sunglasses sits on a glove in the dugout during a spring training game against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Cardinals Could Have Pathway To Offloading $75 Million Man

Originally posted on St. Louis Cardinals on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Oct 23, 2025 11:13 AM ET

The St. Louis Cardinals are a team with far more questions than answers right now.

Chaim Bloom now is the president of baseball operations after John Mozeliak held the role for years. So, just having a new guy in charge brings questions. What's his strategy for the roster? How much is ownership willing to invest in the team? Who will be back? The list goes on. When you mix in the fact that the Cardinals missed the playoffs for the third straight season in 2025 and had an overall attendance drop of over 600,000, it's clear something needs to change.

Bloom was almost immediately asked about the idea of trading veterans away with Nolan Arenado and Sonny Gray being brought up. He acknowledged that "there may be a better fit somewhere else" for Arenado but made it sound like there could be a path forward with Gray. Both of these guys are high-priced veterans and with a rebuild seemingly here, getting money off the books wouldn't be the worst thing. One thing that is interesting is that Jim Bowden of The Athletic shared a column highlighting the 10 players "most likely" to be traded this offseason and actually had Gray at No. 7 while floating the New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles as potential options.

"No. 7. Sonny Gray, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals," Bowden said. "Chaim Bloom has taken over as the head of baseball operations for the Cardinals, and he’s already talked to Gray about waiving his no-trade clause. Gray has indicated to Bloom he would consider doing so for the right contending team. Gray, 35, is entering his 14th season in the big leagues, but he’s still effective. His 2025 FIP (3.39) was nearly a run lower than his ERA (4.28).

The Cardinals should look to make a move

Neville E. Guard-Imagn Images

"He also led the league in K/BB (5.29) and crossed the 200-strikeout threshold for the second straight year. He finished in the 66th percentile in overall pitching run value and the 97th percentile in breaking run value, thanks to his curveball that opponents hit .215 against and his sweeper that they hit only .150 against. Gray is signed for two more seasons, so teams such as the Mets and Orioles, who like shorter-term commitments to starting pitchers, would be great trade fits."

Offloading Gray would obviously hurt the rotation, but it could be a good idea for the payroll overall. He signed a three-year, $75 million deal with the Cardinals and is owed a whopping $35 million in 2026. With all of the changes seemingly coming, the Cardinals don't seem right now like they are going to be contenders next year. Because of that, offloading this deal and spending the money elsewhere, like maybe on extensions for an internal piece like Masyn Winn, could be a better long-term move for the organization.

Gray is a great pitcher and has been a very solid pickup for St. Louis. But, with all of the uncertainty with the team, this could definitely be the time to make a move.

This article first appeared on St. Louis Cardinals on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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