The Minnesota Twins are surprisingly relevant as the calendar surges further into July and this month could determine their plans ahead of the trade deadline. While many are fearing another fire sale in the coming weeks, the Twins have a compelling argument to buy including a starting pitcher to balance the rotation.
There should be plenty of arms that could be available if the Twins decide to buy at the deadline, but one of the most intriguing is Boston Red Sox starter Sonny Gray. One of the top pitchers available in this year’s trade market, Gray could be pursued by the Twins if they remain in contention, and it could be something that leads to an improbable reunion that could boost their return to the playoffs.
Twins should pursue improbable reunion with Sonny Gray ahead of trade deadline
Gray hasn’t missed a beat in his first season in Boston, going 10-1 with a 2.61 ERA, 22.8 percent strikeout rate and a 6.4 percent walk rate in 89.2 innings. That performance hasn’t helped the Red Sox, however, as Boston sits in last place in the American League East with a record of 40-48 entering Monday.
Although the Red Sox are only four games out of the final wild card spot, many believe Gray will be traded, making him one of the top available pitchers ahead of the deadline behind Joe Ryan and Tarik Skubal. It also appears to be more than smoke as The Athletic’s Jim Bowden linked Gray to seven different teams as he examined each team’s chances of buying or selling at the deadline.
If the Twins decide to acquire Gray, it would be a full-circle moment. The 36-year-old arrived to Minnesota in a trade shortly before the 2022 season and was brilliant, going 16-13 with a 2.90 ERA over two seasons. Gray also made his second career All-Star team and finished as the runner-up in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2023, but left to sign a three-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals the following winter as the Twins “right sized” their payroll.
In some ways, Gray’s departure could be pinpointed as the moment things started to go south for the Twins after winning their first playoff game since 2003 and their first postseason series since 2002. But it could also be more than just an olive branch for angry fans.
The Twins rotation is in a solid spot with Ryan and Taj Bradley at the top and could get deeper when Bailey Ober returns from an elbow injury. The back end of the rotation has question marks however, as Mick Abel needed to restart his rehab from an elbow injury last month, Zebby Matthews showing inconsistency and Connor Prielipp presumably reaching an innings limit.
If anything, Gray would give the Twins a stable veteran to pair with Ryan at the top of the rotation and take some pressure off Bradley in the No. 3 spot. But getting him here is another battle.
The Twins could limit the return by eating the rest of Gray’s 2026 salary and $10 million buyout for the 2027 season but that’s a big question considering the Pohlad’s family’s conservative spending over the past couple of seasons. While the Red Sox could retain some of the cash, it could also come at the price of a top prospect such as Gabriel Gonzalez or even a major league piece like Trevor Larnach or Matt Wallner.
Regardless, trading for Gray was something that Twins fans weren’t expecting a few months ago and if they keep winning, the conversation to add a starter could get louder. If the Twins dive into the market, Gray would be an intriguing addition that could remove some of the remaining skepticism toward their push for the playoffs.
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