Toronto Blue Jays: Is pursuing Sonny Gray a good idea?
By Paul Taylor
As reported by Sportsnet, the Toronto Blue Jays were among the teams who attended Sonny Gray’s latest start, but is he actually worth making a move for?
With July nearly here, the countdown to the trade deadline has begun. This leads to the question of if the Toronto Blue Jays will be buyers, sellers or stand pat?
Sitting at the bottom of the AL East and with a record under .500, it would be easy to call them sellers. However, entering Tuesday’s action, they are only 3.5 games out of a Wild Card spot and just 5.5 games back of first place in the division. (In fact, the AL East is the tightest and most competitive division in the Majors.)
In that respect, the latest news surrounding the Blue Jays may give a further indication of their intentions, as we head towards July 31. As reported by Sportsnet, Toronto was one of several teams in attendance for the most recent start of Sonny Gray.
The news was originally reported by Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Gray is apparently emerging as one of the top pitchers available, ahead of the trade deadline.
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If the Oakland Athletics do decide to move the 27-year old, his performance on June 25 versus the Chicago White Sox will have helped immensely. He gave up just four hits and two runs over seven innings, on the way to recording a win.
However, there is the question of why the Athletics would want to move Gray, who proved his worth almost as soon as he entered the rotation in 2013? The reality is that after looking sensational through his first three seasons, he has struggled more recently.
The 2015 All-Star started to come down to earth during the 2016 campaign, when he recorded a career-high 5.69 ERA and limped to a 5-11 record. In fairness he was limited to 22 starts, due to various setbacks, which resulted in two trips to the disabled list.
So far, 2017 has been a bit up and down for Gray, who began the regular season on the DL, with a lat strain. Since returning, he has recorded a 3-3 record in 11 starts, along with a 4.45 ERA and 9.0 strikeouts per nine innings.
While not yet back to his earlier form, at least the Nashville, Tennessee native seems to be taking steps in the right direction. Regardless, he’s getting more than enough attention, with the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners and Atlanta Braves reportedly also in attendance at his last start.
Apart from what Gray potentially offers on the mound, another appealing aspect is his contract situation. His salary for this season is just $3.575 million, while he is also arbitration eligible and under team control for the next two years.
One final factor the Blue Jays are probably considering, is the situation surrounding their current starting rotation. Aaron Sanchez is on the DL yet again with a blister issue, while, as noted by Sportsnet, Marco Estrada and Francisco Liriano are set to become free agents at the conclusion of this season.
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What’s your perspective on Gray? If you were in the Blue Jays’ position, would you make a move for him or not, and why? Share your thoughts in the comments section.