The Minnesota Twins took their first significant step in replenishing their starting pitching, acquiring right-hander Sonny Gray in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.
The Reds included minor league right-hander Francis Peguero in the deal for Twins prospect aft Petty, who was their first-round pick last year.
Gray, 32, a two-time All-Star, went 7-9 with a 4.19 ERA and 155 strikeouts in 135 1/3 innings over 26 starts last season, his third with the Reds. . During nine years in the majors with the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees and Reds, Gray has a career record of 82-72 with an ERA of 3.61. As of 2014, he is tied for eighth among baseball’s right-handers with 204 starts.
In the final guaranteed season of the deal he signed with the Reds to complete a trade from the Yankees in 2019, Gray will earn just over $10 million. The Twins have a club option for 2023 that comes without a buyout. Gray was one of the most obvious and valuable trade chips for Cincinnati, coming off such a so-so 83-79 season.
Gray will fit into the top of the rotation for Minnesota, which was devastated last year by the José Berríos trade and Kenta Maeda’s elbow injury that will keep him out for most or all of 2022. Michael Pineda became a free agent and could re-sign if the price is right.
