The St. Louis Cardinals, with John Mozeliak stepping down and Chaim Bloom taking over, are expected to make some major changes in player personnel this winter.
Nolan Arenado is a hot name on the trade market, and players like Lars Nootbaar and Brendan Donovan could be on the move as well. But another player could also be on the move this offseason.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today predicts that the Cardinals will trade their $75 million starting pitcher to the Atlanta Braves. That player is All-Star veteran starter Sonny Gray.
Cardinals predicted to trade Sonny Gray to the Braves
"Cardinals ace Sonny Gray, who exercised his full no-trade rights this season, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch he's now open to being traded, with the Cardinals expected to further tear down their roster in a rebuild." Nightengale writes. "Prediction: Gray winds up with Atlanta."
Gray is in the final year of a $75 million deal, though he does have a team option in 2027. Gray is 35 years old and will be 36 at the beginning of 2026.
In 2025, across 32 starts, Gray has a 4.28 ERA with one shutout and 201 strikeouts in 180.2 innings pitched. His 96 ERA+ was the lowest he's had since the 2018 season with the New York Yankees.
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While he hasn't been at his best, the Braves, who are looking to turn things around after a down 2025 season, could justifiably add Gray this winter. He's going to cost $35 million for the Braves if Nightengale's prediction comes true.
It's not a cheap deal for the Braves to pick up, but the Cardinals could pick up some of the contract to facilitate a deal. Gray's 2027 club option is for $30 million, and barring a turnaround season, Gray would be a rental for Atlanta.
Moving on from Gray makes a lot of sense for the Cardinals, and while his no-trade clause stopped the Cardinals from trading him this last offseason, he's open to a deal now, with the team looking to make some major changes this winter.
Gray, along with Arenado, are two of the more obvious trade chips for St. Louis this winter. Nightengale's prediction is hardly surprising and would be a good fit for everyone involved to move the veteran Gray to the Braves for the 2026 MLB season.
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