Cardinals Rumors: Sonny Gray Expected to Be Pursued in 2024 MLB Free Agency

The St. Louis Cardinals are expected to "pursue" starting pitcher Sonny Gray in MLB free agency, according to The Athletic's Katie Woo.

Woo detailed how the Cardinals could look to make a quick turnaround following a 71-91 finish in 2023: "The Cardinals are expected to be one of the most active teams in the offseason, but in order for them to get started, [president of baseball operations John Mozeliak] will need to spend the next couple of weeks finalizing his blueprint for the next four months."

Mozeliak telegraphed his intentions before the trade deadline when he said the Cardinals wouldn't have a fire sale amid a year falling well short of expectations.

Assuming the plan is to contend again straight away, bolstering the starting rotation is the first place to start.

St. Louis' starters combined to finish 22nd in FIP (4.61) and 19th in WAR (9.6), per FanGraphs, and the unit's top performer (Jack Flaherty) was shipped out midseason ahead of his free agency.

Gray would give the Cardinals an upgrade without breaking the bank. Spotrac projects his market value at $60.9 million over three years.

The 33-year-old put together one of his best seasons in 2023. Over 32 starts, he finished 8-8 with a 2.79 ERA and a 2.83 FIP.

Gray continues to be a bit of an outlier these days in that he relies heavily on movement and command over velocity on the mound. Per Baseball Savant, his four-seam fastball and sinker both averaged just under 93 mph. Still, his production is evidence of his continued effectiveness.

Because he profiles as a great addition for any team with playoff aspirations, the Cardinals are likely to have plenty of competition for the three-time All-Star.