Sonny Gray Reportedly Still on Cubs' Radar After Jose Quintana Trade

The Chicago Cubs are reportedly pursuing additional pitching reinforcements even after they closed a deal with the Chicago White Sox for Jose Quintana on Thursday. 

According to MLB Network's Jon Morosi and Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, the Cubs have continued to show interest in a trade for Oakland A's right hander Sonny Gray in advance of the July 31 deadline. 

Morosi and Rosenthal both added Gray is an appealing target for the Cubs since their starting rotation is likely to undergo a shakeup this winter when Jake Arrieta and John Lackey become unrestricted free agents. 

Gray is in the midst of earning $3.5 million this season, and he will be arbitration eligible in 2018 and 2019 before he hits the open market as a free agent in 2020. 

Through Friday, Gray—who was named an All-Star in 2015—has gone 4-4 with a 4.00 ERA, 1.208 WHIP, 74 strikeouts and 25 walks. Those numbers compare favorably to the ones Gray posted a year ago, when he went 5-11 with a career-worst 5.69 ERA and 1.496 WHIP. 

Contract information courtesy of Spotrac.com.