The Boston Red Sox made their first major trade of the offseason Tuesday when they sent No. 5 prospect Brandon Clarke, a hard-throwing lefty, and often-injured right-hander Richard Fitts to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for 36-year-old three-time All-Star Sonny Gray , a first-round draft pick of the Oakland Athletics in 2011 who has pitched for five different teams in his 13-year career.

But Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow had earlier declared his intention to add a No. 2 starter for the rotation behind ace Garrett Crochet, leaving the question open as to whether he sees Gray as that starter.

Not everyone is convinced that he is.

"Gray profiles as a No. 3 starter at this point in his career. In 2025, he posted a 4.28 ERA with a 26.7 percent strikeout rate and a 5

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