Red Sox's Sonny Gray Reveals If He'd Waive No-Trade Clause for 2026 MLB Deadline Move

Sonny Gray hasn't even been with the Boston Red Sox for a full season yet, but he is open to the idea of waiving his no-trade clause to be moved ahead of this year's deadline if the right deal presented itself.

"If someone came to me from the Red Sox and made a decision that that's the direction that this team was going to go, I would be open for a conversation," he told Tim Healey of the Boston Globe while declining to reveal whether geography would play a role in his decision.

Gray and the Red Sox have a mutual option for the 2027 season on his contract before he is scheduled for unrestricted free agency ahead of the 2028 campaign.

Given his shorter deal, the 36-year-old would be a logical candidate to be traded should the Red Sox decide to sell. And they likely will decide to sell if things don't turn around quickly.

After all, they are 31-44 and in last place in the American League East. They are a daunting 14.5 games behind the first-place New York Yankees and six games out of the final American League wild-card spot.

Only the Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Angels are behind them in the AL wild-card standings.

Despite the overall team struggles, Gray has remained largely effective with a 3.12 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 69.1 innings. The St. Louis Cardinals traded the three-time All-Star to the Red Sox ahead of the 2026 campaign, and he has lived up to expectations.

The problem for Boston is most of the rest of the team hasn't, which has put it in a position to potentially sell at the deadline.

Given Gray's overall track record and his contract situation that may make him not a pure rental depending on the mutual option decision, he would surely draw plenty of interest from multiple contenders looking for pitching depth and another starter ahead of the stretch run.

Ideally for the Red Sox, that would lead to something of a bidding war that would allow them to accelerate any short-term rebuild before they are contenders again in the AL East.