Red Sox needed a second starter in the trade with Cardinals

President of baseball operations Craig Breslow had made it clear that the Boston Red Sox wanted to add a second top starter after Garrett Crochet. Breslow picked up his husband on Tuesday.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports this that the Red Sox acquired pitcher Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals. In return, the Cardinals get pitchers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke. Passan further reported that the Cardinals are sending $20 million to the Red Sox to cover part of Gray’s salary. Gray waived his no-trade clause to facilitate the deal.

Boston Red Sox make significant rotation upgrade by acquiring Sonny Gray

Gray had a down year in 2025. The 36-year-old posted a 4.28 ERA and a 1.234 WHIP over his 180.2 innings, striking out 201 batters with 38 walks. There is reason to hope for a rebound campaign in 2026, as Gray allowed a batting average of .332 on balls in play (league average is .296) and posted a FIP of 3.39 (ERA based on results a pitcher can control with league-average defense).

Fitts struggled with injuries through 2025 while shuttling between the Red Sox and the minors. He struggled during his time in Boston last season, posting a 5.00 ERA and a 1.311 WHIP over his 45 Major League innings, striking out 40 batters with 16 walks. Fitts fared better in Triple-A in 2025, posting a 4.00 ERA and a 1.370 WHIP over 27 innings, striking out 25 with 11 walks. He would likely join as a back-of-the-rotation starter in St. Louis.

The 22-year-old Clarke is the center of the Cardinals. Ranked as the Red Sox’s fifth best prospect by MLB.com at the time of the trade, the left-handed Clarke was drawing rave reviews for his plus fastball and slider. His fastball is in the upper 90s and has touched triple digits, while his slider has impressive two-plane movement. Clarke also has a curve and changeup that are considered more marginal offerings, and has struggled to control his arsenal. At worst, he could be a devastating option in a major league bullpen.

Clarke showed his potential and shortcomings during the 2025 season. He posted a 4.03 ERA and a WHIP of 1.158 over 38 innings between A-ball and High-A, striking out 60 batters with 27 walks. He has been a starter in the minors thus far, but could rocket through the Cardinals system if converted into a reliever.