Yankees Trade Rumors: Sonny Gray Drawing 'A Bit of Interest' Ahead of Deadline
July 22, 2018
New York Yankees pitcher Sonny Gray has drawn interest from teams ahead of the trade deadline but is reportedly unlikely to be traded.
Jon Heyman of FanCred reported the Yankees' "main interest is in adding to rotation, not subtracting from it."
Gray, 28, has been the subject of scorn all season from Yankees fans due to his poor performance. He's 7-7 with a 5.34 ERA and 1.49 WHIP, clearly struggling with the brighter New York spotlight.
The Yankees are likely encouraged by his last two starts, both wins in which he allowed just three runs (two earned) over 11.1 innings of work. Equipped with perhaps the best lineup in baseball, the Yankees don't need Gray to do much; they just need him to get into quality start territory before turning the ball over to the bullpen.
"You go through things at times and it's how you respond," Gray said told reporters. "I feel like I'm a realistic person, I can read the writing on the wall. I feel like I'm somewhat of a smart guy. I'm not a baseball player. I'm a human being that plays baseball.
"It's the old cliche: The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results," he added. "When I say I'm learning to flush it and go to the next hitter, I'm not letting things get to me.
"You have to learn to control it within the game, and that is very challenging."
Odds are the Yankees will trade for another starter to lessen the burden on Luis Severino and the aging CC Sabathia.
Gray, who was supposed to be that fortifying rotation piece when he was acquired a year ago from the Oakland Athletics, could find himself on the outside of the rotation looking in if he struggles in the second half. But based on the reporting here, it doesn't appear the Yankees are prepared to give up on him just yet.