Red Sox nab top starting pitcher off trade market as Angels forced to look elsewhere

One week after the Angels stole the attention (and praise) of the world of MLB with their heist of Grayson Rodriguez for Taylor Ward, the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals have reignited the trade market for starting pitchers. The two teams struck a deal sending veteran starter Sonny Gray to Boston for two prospects, headlined by the fifth overall prospect for the Red Sox, left-handed pitcher Brandon Clarke.

Sonny Gray was one of the top starters available this offseason, in free agency or on the trade market. While he has not been the most dominant (his ERA+ has topped 130 just twice since 2020), he has been incredibly durable even as he pitched into his mid-30's. He has averaged 28.4 starts and 157.1 innings pitched per season over the past five years, posting a 3.64 ERA in that span. There are not many teams in the big leagues who would pass up that type of production.

Angels watch as Red Sox nab top pitcher off trade market

This marks the official start of the Chaim Bloom Era in St. Louis, as the team is set to tear down and rebuild. Gray was the first domino to fall, with many more to follow (including the Angels' next star third baseman). The important part of this deal for Halo fans is the finances of it all, as the Cardinals reportedly will be paying $20 million of Gray's contract. This increased the return package for them, with Clarke and Richard Fitts both project as big league rotation members.

For a team like the Angels who have the worst contract in baseball on their payroll, a team who is willing to eat money is music to the ears of owner Arte Moreno. While the Angels would have had to pay up if they wanted Gray (a package of starting pitchers Samuel Aldegheri and George Klassen is similar to what the Red Sox sent), they would have completed their rotation while still having $30-$40 million to spend in free agency.

There are plenty of starters out there for the Angels on the trade market. Mackenzie Gore, Freddy Peralta, and Joe Ryan are top-of-the-rotation options if the Halos want to pay up, while names like Brady Singer and Kyle Freeland would be lower cost options. Losing out on a durable starter like Gray hurts, especially with the innings limit that Rodriguez will be on along with Reid Detmers working his way back up to starting after a year in the bullpen.

Nonetheless, the Angels and their fans can look at this trade and know that they can afford Nolan Arenado if they wish, as the Cardinals are burning money in order to get prospects into their organization.