Boston's first starter crochet has been found, STL 125 wins, Gray has secured the second starter while saving the outfield, and the FA selection market is withdrawn

Nov 26, 2025

Boston's first starter crochet has been found, STL 125 wins, Gray has secured the second starter while saving the outfield, and the FA selection market is withdrawn
Sony Gray moved his nest from St. Louis to Boston. AP Yonhap News



Boston's first starter crochet has been found, STL 125 wins, Gray has secured the second starter while saving the outfield, and the FA selection market is withdrawn
FFA starter No. 1 Framber Valdez. AP Yonhap News
Boston Red Sox reinforced the starting lineup. It is a stepping stone to win the district championship next season.

MLB.com signed three-time All-Star Sonny Gray (36) in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals on the 26th (Korea time) as there were growing calls for reinforcing a proven starting pitcher to support Ace Garrett Crochet' reported.

According to the media, Boston decided to send right-hander Richard Fitz and fifth-ranked left-hander Brandon Clarke to St. Louis.




Gray has trade veto, but has reportedly accepted a trip to Boston.

St. Louis President Cham Bloom, who took office earlier this year, previously served as Boston's president for five years from 2019 to 2023. In other words, the relationship between Brisloe and Bloom is not light, which is the decisive background of the trade.

Boston's first starter crochet has been found, STL 125 wins, Gray has secured the second starter while saving the outfield, and the FA selection market is withdrawn
Boston Red Sox first starter Garrett Crochet. ImagesYonhap News
St. Louis has decided to give Boston $20 million to compensate for part of Gray's annual salary. Gray signed a three-year, $75 million contract with St. Louis in November 2023 and a club option of $30 million for the fourth year and $5 million in buyouts.




With the move to Boston this time, it is inevitable to modify the contract to meet the CBT (competitive equilibrium tax). In other words, by lowering the 2026 annual salary from $35 million to $31 million, the club option was changed to mutual option in 2027 and the buyout was raised from $5 million to $10 million. However, Gray will continue to have the right to opt out of the 2027 option.

Boston advanced to the postseason for the first time in four years with 89-73 losses this season, ranking third in the AL East and second in the wild card series, but fell to the New York Yankees with 1-2 losses and was eliminated early.

Boston doesn't have many reliable starters other than Crochet. Brian Beyo and Tanner Hauke, but Hauke received Tommy John Surgery in August, and it is unclear whether he will return in the second half of next season.




Boston's first starter crochet has been found, STL 125 wins, Gray has secured the second starter while saving the outfield, and the FA selection market is withdrawn
소니 그레이. ImagesYonhap News
Gray is the best pitcher in the Major League. He made his major league debut with the Oakland Athletics in 2013 and has 125 career wins, a 3.58 ERA and 1925 strikeouts while playing for the Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins and St. Louis.

He ranked second in the AL Cy Young Award voting with 8-8 losses, 2.79 ERA and 183 strikeouts in 2023, continued his stability with 13-9 losses and 3.84 ERA last year, and threw 180 ⅔ innings in 32 games this season to mark 14-8 losses, 4.28 ERA and 201 strikeouts.

Initially, Boston was rumored to have to give up one of its rich outfielders, such as Jarran Duran and Willier Abreu, to get a big starter, but by giving up two young starters, it will be able to protect key outfielders.

Next year's Boston rotation will likely consist of Crochet, Gray, Beyo, and Cutter Crawford and veteran Patrick Sandoval, who are rehabilitating from elbow surgery.

As a result, Boston should be considered to be out of the market for FA starters Framber Valdez, Tatsuya Imai, Dylan Shees and Rangers Suarez.





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.