The Houston Astros will be in the market for a starting pitcher. It seems increasingly likely that Framber Valdez is on his way out, which leaves a big hole in the rotation. Hunter Brown is coming off a tremendous season, finishing third in the AL Cy Young voting. After Brown, there is a steep drop off.
Spencer Arrighetti, Cristian Javier, and Lance McCullers Jr. are some of the guys who could fill out the rotation, but that won’t get it done. They desperately need some help, and there is a pitcher on the St. Louis Cardinals that would be a great fit.
The Astros Should Pursue a Trade for Sonny Gray
The Cardinals have been the center of attention in the trade market. It’s clear they’re building towards the future, after a disappointing season in 2025 with a 78-84 record. Teams have inquired about Nolan Arenado and Lars Nootbaar. Houston was close to acquiring Arenado a year ago, but the third baseman used his no-trade clause to end the deal.
The Astros are reportedly in contact for Cardinals’ middle infielder Brendan Donovan. Houston should add pitcher Sonny Gray to the list. Gray finished with a 14-8 record and posted a 4.28 ERA last season. He finished just outside of the top 10 across the league in strikeouts (201). It’s the second straight season with 200+ strikeouts, and his walks have come down.
Per John Denton of MLB.com, new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom is open to trading the 36-year old.
“Sonny’s a bit of a different situation where he signed here for a reason, and I think he’s been happy,” Bloom said. “He’s also in a situation where he’s more open than he would have been in the past to thinking about different possibilities with where he’s at in his career and understanding our focus is more long term.”
The age is certainly a concern, but the veteran pitcher has shown no signs of slowing down. Houston wouldn’t have to commit long term, as his contract is set to expire at the end of the 2026 season. He is owed $35 million next year.
There are a couple factors that could get in the way of a trade. The Astros’ farm system is depleted. Brice Matthews and Jacob Melton are intriguing prospects, but general manager Dana Brown may not want to give up those players up for Gray. They may not have enough to entice St. Louis. It’s also unlikely Houston would want to absorb that much money for next year, so there would have to be some negotiation around his contract.
Regardless, Gray would be an excellent fit to pair with Brown. It would bolster the rotation and give the Astros a veteran arm they desperately need.
