Boston Red Sox
“I never wanted to go there in the first place,” Gray told reporters of his trade to New York in 2017.
Sonny Gray is off to a strong start in trying to gain Boston fans’ respect, as he has made it clear he already has a distaste for the Red Sox rival, the New York Yankees.
Gray was recently traded to the Red Sox from the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke.
Along with the Cardinals, Gray has pitched for a number of different teams, including parts of two seasons with the Yankees. After being traded midseason in 2017, Gray pitched 11 games that year and then 30 games in 2018, posting a 3.72 and 4.90 ERA, respectively.
Gray spoke to reporters on Tuesday about his time in New York, and how it impacted his decision to come to the Red Sox.
“I’ll tell you what did factor into my decision to come to Boston,” Gray said, per a video posted by MLB Network’s Hot Stove. “It feels good to me to go to a place now where, you know what, it’s easy to hate the Yankees.”
While in New York he compiled the second highest ERA of his career, only behind his sophomore season (5.69) in 2016. Part of the reason for this may have been his willingness or want to be there, as he knew before he went that it wasn’t the place for him.
“New York just wasn’t a good situation for me,” Gray continued. “It wasn’t a great setup for me and my family. I never wanted to go there in the first place.”
After leaving the Yankees, Gray turned things around. While pitching 32 games in 2023, he put up a 2.79 ERA on his way to a second place finish in American League Cy Young Award voting.
Gray believes this stint in the AL East will be more successful than previously, as he seemingly isn’t feeling the pressure with the move.
“This time around it’s just go out and be yourself,” Gray explained. “Don’t try to be anything other than yourself, if people don’t like it, it is what it is. I am who I am.”
The Red Sox will be hoping Gray can bolster their pitching staff, and help them reach the playoffs again in 2026.
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