Red Sox add needed second starter in trade with Cardinals

President of baseball operations Craig Breslow had been clear that the Boston Red Sox wanted to add a second top-of-the-rotation starter behind Garrett Crochet. Breslow got his man on Tuesday.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported that the Red Sox acquired pitcher Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals. In exchange, the Cardinals will receive pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke. Passan further reported that the Cardinals are sending $20 million to the Red Sox to cover part of Gray's salary. Gray waived his no-trade clause to facilitate the deal.

Boston Red Sox make significant rotation upgrade by acquiring Sonny Gray

Gray had a down year in 2025. The 36-year-old posted a 4.28 ERA and a 1.234 WHIP over his 180.2 innings, striking out 201 batters with 38 walks. There is reason to hope for a rebound campaign in 2026 as Gray allowed a .332 batting average on balls in play (league average is .296) and posted a 3.39 FIP (ERA based on outcomes a pitcher can control with a league average defense).

Fitts battled injuries throughout 2025 as he shuttled between the Red Sox and the minors. He struggled during his time in Boston last season, posting a 5.00 ERA and a 1.311 WHIP over his 45 major league innings, striking out 40 batters with 16 walks. Fitts fared better in Triple-A in 2025, posting a 4.00 ERA and a 1.370 WHIP over 27 innings, striking out 25 batters with 11 walks. He would presumably slot in as a back-of-the-rotation starter in St. Louis.

The 22-year-old Clarke is the centerpiece for the Cardinals. Ranked as the Red Sox's fifth-best prospect by MLB.com at the time of the trade, the left-handed Clarke has drawn rave reviews for his plus fastball and slider. His fastball sits in the upper 90s and has touched triple digits, while his slider has impressive two-plane movement. Clarke also has a curve and a changeup that are considered more fringe offerings and struggles to command his arsenal. At worst, he could be a devastating option in a major league bullpen.

Clarke showed his potential and flaws during the 2025 season. He posted a 4.03 ERA and a 1.158 WHIP over 38 innings between A-ball and High-A, striking out 60 batters with 27 walks. He has worked as a starter thus far in the minors, but could rocket through the Cardinals system if he is converted to a reliever.