This offseason, the San Diego Padres could be in the market for a starting pitcher, as their rotation is unsettled at this moment.
Dylan Cease and Michael King are expected to test the free agent market.
The front office has concerns about Yu Darvish’s health status heading into the 2026 season, and Joe Musgrove is coming off Tommy John surgery that sidelined him all last season.
Cardinals expected to make roster changes
A perfect trade partner would be the St. Louis Cardinals, who are in the midst of rebuilding their own roster. Chaim Bloom has taken over the top spot of baseball operations for the franchise. His first order of business is to rebuild the farm system. The Cardinals were renowned for their player development program, but not so much of late.
To gather quality minor league talent, Bloom will have to trade veterans this winter. One player who could garner such interest is Sonny Gray.
Sonny Gray emerges a possible trade candidate
A potential deal is contingent upon resolving several contractual hurdles. Gray is owed $35 million in salary in the final year of his contract, which also includes a full no-trade clause.
Large market teams seem like a logical choice because they’re capable of accommodating his high salary. However, it is unclear if the Cardinals are willing to send money along with Gray to reduce the salary number for their prospective trade partner.
The full no-trade clause is a negotiating tool that allows the right-hander to choose his next pitching destination. Gray prefers to play in smaller markets because of his pitching struggles in New York with the Yankees. His season-and-a-half in pinstripes resulted in a 15-16 mark with a 4.51 ERA in 34 starts. Gray’s ERA with the Yankees rose nearly a point over his career number (3.58).
Gray is coming off a solid 2025 campaign, as he went 14-8 with a 4.28 ERA in 32 starts. He had several setbacks, including his ERA jumping from 3.89 in his first season with the Cardinals. Gray allowed 43 more hits and 14 more runs from his final totals in 2024. His strikeout rate decreased from 30.3% to 26.7% this past season.
The lone bright spot for Gray is he is among the best major league starters to limit base-on-balls in an outing. In 2025, he had a 5.0% walk rate. He may not be the equivalent of Cease and King, but Gray is a reliable starter with a proven record.
Preller is the master of the move
Padres President of Baseball Operations and GM A.J. Preller is always willing to make a deal if the acquisition makes sense. The potential for significant turnover occurring in the Friars’ starting rotation next season is real. The only guarantee is Nick Pivetta will be starting for the Padres in 2026.
If Preller needs to replace Cease and King in the rotation, acquiring Gray makes sense. Since he is in his walk year, Preller could negotiate taking on more of Gray’s salary in return for sending back lower-level minor league talent to the Cards.
The statistical numbers show the 35-year-old can keep his team in games. Yes, the Padres have internal candidates, but Gray is a reliable starter who averages 34 starts per season for his career.
Preller could look elsewhere for starting rotation help if a deal is not agreed upon quickly. Other options could include trading assets for a starting pitcher who is under team control for multiple seasons.
Either way, if the Friars are going to be a postseason contender, they will need to rebuild their rotation this offseason.
