Sonny Gray Expected to Leave Red Sox

The Red Sox are widely expected to decline Sonny Gray’s $30 million mutual option, pay the reported $10 million buyout and let the right-hander enter free agency, despite his strong 2026 season. Gray could still return to Boston on a new contract, but the team may prioritize other needs, and his frustration after being pulled from an elimination-game start added to the uncertainty. The Cubs have been floated as a possible destination because of their ties to Vanderbilt and proximity to Gray’s family in Nashville; the Braves are another potential fit, given their proximity to home and need for starting pitching. Boston also faces other roster decisions, with Garrett Whitlock’s club option expected to be exercised.