Dodgers Free Agent Target Sonny Gray Off the Board, Signs With NL Central Squad
Another free agent starting pitcher is off the board as right-hander Sonny Gray is signing with the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason. Gray was one of the better options for the Dodgers but elects to join former Dodgers pitcher Lance Lynn in St. Louis. The deal is for three years, worth $75 million.
MLB insider Jon Heyman was the first to break the news of the expected deal.
The veteran spent the last two seasons with the Minnesota Twins, but his 2023 season was special. He posted an ERA of 2.79 over 32 starts, and a WHIP of 1.15.
Gray also added 183 strikeouts over 184 innings of work. He came in second in the American League Cy Young Award voting, losing out to Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees.
He would have been a nice No. 2 starter for the Dodgers, but the team seems to be in the race for other top arms this winter. They are targeting Yoshinobu Yamamoto from Japan, as well as their pursuit of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.
LA is expected to be aggressive this winter in upgrading their roster, but since they are in the sweepstakes for the biggest names, patience may be required. Hopefully, when the dust finally settles, the Dodgers will have landed multiple top-tier players this offseason.
Gray is the second big-name free agent to sign this offseason, following starter Aaron Nola’s decision to head back to the Philadelphia Phillies. The hot stove has been slow to turn on but this agreement is a sign that we have finally some free-agent movement! Let the fun begin.
Photo Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
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Oh, goody- here come the complainers whining that the Dodgers “are just sitting on their hands”! The three pitchers signed by the Cards (and Maeda in Detroit) are all mid-level pitchers. You want those or the high end guys? Quit your whining…..
Dodgers are looking for thrifty has been’s, always gonna be a day late and a dollar short. 2024 will be another close but no cigar type of season, get used to it folks..
Seems that way, never ever seem to pull the trigger on players but always kicking the tires ..
Nola wanted nothing to do with LA, the city. Blame you local politicians, or better yet, vote them out. Gray wanted to be close to his home in Tennessee. And that’s fine. Fully understand that. The Dodgers are going to offer Ohtani well north of $500 million, and could exceed $600 million. They will likely offer Yamamoto $200-230 mil. And Giolito $20-25. Let’s see what happens, but you’re looking at $800 million in THREE players in the next two weeks. “Kicking the tires”? “Thrifty has beens”? What are you two smoking?!