Sonny Gray had some doubters before the 2026 season. When Craig Breslow traded for the veteran from the St. Louis Cardinals, many fans were under the impression that his best years were behind him.
That hasn't been further from the truth. Gray has been the Boston Red Sox's de facto ace in Garrett Crochet's absence and he's posted one of the best seasons of his career at age 36. His 2.69 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and MLB-leading 17 wins over 150.2 innings have earned Gray a place in the American League Cy Young Award conversation and a case for a contract extension with the Red Sox.
But a contract extension might not be possible. Gray told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe that he would retire "in a heartbeat" after this season if his family wants him back home full-time (subscription required). Gray, who said he initially expected he'd hang 'em up after 10 MLB seasons, will delay his decision until after the postseason.
Maybe if the Red Sox present him with an enticing contract offer, he might stick around for at least one more year. Gray has a $30 million mutual option on his contract for next year but mutual options are rarely picked up.
Red Sox have time to extend Sonny Gray before he contemplates retiring next year
After trading many of their pitching prospects between the offseason and the trade deadline, the Red Sox are going to be shorter on pitching depth in 2027. Gray is the lone healthy right-hander in Boston's current rotation and if he retires or the Sox let him walk after the 2026 season, they'll be left with Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford — the former is still recovering from UCL surgery, which could change the course of his career and the latter hasn't pitched in the major leagues since 2024. The coming free agent class is underwhelming and the presence of Tarik Skubal will drive up the price for pitching. Gray would be one of the best arms available and the Red Sox already have him.
The $30 million Gray would be due if his mutual option is no small price to pay for a 37 year old pitcher, but it would be worth it if he can replicate his production from this season, or get close to it. If the Red Sox offered him an extension between $25-30 million, he could stabilize the rotation and teach their young arms for another year.
There are some reasons they may be unwilling to do so, however. Gray will be another year older when the next season begins, but front offices around the league don't know when that will be. It could be risky to sign an aging player to a one-year deal with the threat of a lockout looming. A potential salary cap would make spending $30 million on an aging player even less tempting.
But if the Red Sox want to keep Gray from the retirement he's seemingly already weighing, they might have to act fast. If his mutual option is declined, as is expected, he'll either be one of the best pitchers available in a lame free agent class or en route to retirement. Extending him before the season ends would prevent both outcomes and secure another year of the dominant righty in Boston.
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