Sonny Gray Says It Will Be 'Easy' to Hate the Yankees After Trade to Red Sox

Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray met with reporters Tuesday after being traded from the St. Louis Cardinals last week and made his feelings known about his new team's arch-rival (and his ex-team in 2017 and 2018), the New York Yankees.

"It's easy to go to a place now where it's easy to hate the Yankees," Gray said in part, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe.

Gray landed in Boston last Tuesday after the Cardinals traded the 36-year-old and cash considerations right-handed pitcher Richard Fitts, left-handed pitching prospect Brandon Clarke and a player to be named later or cash.

Gray waived his no-trade clause to head to Boston, and during his introductory chat with reporters, he was brutally honest about his feelings regarding the Yankees.

"What did factor into my decision to come to Boston is it feels good to me to go to a a place now where you know what? It's easy to hate the Yankees, right? It's easy to go out and have that rivalry and go in it with full force, full steam ahead.

"I like the challenge. I appreciate the challenge. I accept the challenge. But this time around, it's just go out and be yourself. Don't try to be anything other than yourself, and if people don't like it, it is what it is. I am who I am. And I'm OK with that.

"New York, it just wasn't a good situation for me. It wasn't a great setup for me and my family. I never wanted to go there in the first place. When that was kind of happening, when we were in Oakland and I was getting traded, that was a long time ago. I never wanted to go there. So then I was there and it just kind of like, it just didn't really work for kind of who I am..."

The Oakland Athletics traded Gray to the Yankees during the 2017 season. He went 15-16 with a 4.51 ERA (1.42 WHIP) over his 41 games (34 starts). Gray was removed from the starting rotation in 2018 after posting a 5.56 ERA over 21 starts in 2018.

It's clear this wasn't a good fit from the start, and Gray's former 2017 Yankees teammate, backup catcher Erik Kratz, provided some insight into why he may have had some issues in the Bronx.

In the end, it didn't work out, but Gray clearly still harbors strong feelings toward the Yankees.

Moving forward, though, Gray is very much looking forward to his opportunity in Boston, where he'll likely slot in as the No. 2 pitcher behind staff ace Garrett Crochet. Per Speier, Gray described himself as "more Boston than any other place," so it seems as if he'll fit right in.

Gray is looking to help a Red Sox team that improved from 81 to 89 wins last year and made the playoffs for the first time since 2021. He appears likely to make his first start for the Red Sox against the Cincinnati Reds, which will open the 2026 season by hosting Boston on March 26, 28 and 29.