Potential Blockbuster Sonny Gray Trade Hinges On One Minor Detail

There have been a lot of rumors surrounding the St. Louis Cardinals this season and they all seem to revolve around St. Louis' trade deadline approach. Will the Cardinals buy and try to contend? Will they sell? If they sell, will it just be the expiring contracts or will it be more aggressive?

All of these questions have yet to be answered, but it's likely the Cardinals will make a decision and choose a path closer to the actual trade deadline.

One name that continues to be mentioned in the rumors is right handed pitcher Sonny Gray.

The Cardinals have been clear about wanting to clear some money off their payroll this season as the rebuild was set to begin. Gray has one of the bigger contracts on the team, so he would make sense as a trade piece, but the righty has a no-trade clause in his contract.

Gray has been adamant in the past about wanting to remain with St. Louis rather than waiving his no-trade clause for a deal elsewhere. With that in mind, a potential trade incloving the righty completely hinges on the idea of him waiving this no-trade clause.

It's a similar situation to infielder Nolan Arenado, but Arenado reportedly agreed to waive his no-trade clause for a few select teams. Gray, on the other hand, hasn't expressed interested to waive his no-trade clause for any deal.

If he's dead set on the idea of staying in St. Louis, there won't be a trade or team that makes the righty accept a deal. If that's the case, the Cardinals will have no choice but to hold onto him and allow him to mentor the younger pitchers.