The St. Louis Cardinals have been focusing on adding pitching during the offseason.
It’s still early, but they are determined to return to contention in 2024.
They announced Lance Lynn and Kyle Gibson last week, but still needed an ace, a reliable frontline starter to navigate the rigors of the long season and give themselves a chance in the playoffs should they qualify.
They found one on Monday, agreeing to a three-year, $75 million contract with right-hander Sonny Gray.
Gray is 34 years old, so on age alone he is somewhat of a risk.
Still, he is coming off a 2.79-ERA season with the Minnesota Twins and showed this past season that he still has it.
The Cardinals are willing to take on the risk because it’s a relatively short-term commitment, one that could help them regain relevancy.
Fans mostly approved Gray’s signing on social media.
Good move by Cardinals
— X (@theDinPhD) November 27, 2023
Finally this team adds pitching. Still need to keep adding, but this is a good start
— BakersBets (@Bakers_Bets) November 27, 2023
There were people who thought the money was more than Gray deserved:
As a twins fan, as much as it sucks to see him go that’s such an overpay
— Harry (@Harrysonnnnnn) November 27, 2023
Pitching is always at a premium, though, and $75 million for one of the best pitchers in the American League this year is fair value.
Gray also offers something that not many pitchers can do these days: pitch 180 innings or more.
He logged 184 in 2023 with the Twins, with 55 walks and 183 strikeouts.
His durability is a valuable asset for the Cardinals, who are going to need every inning they can get from Gray.
Some fans think the money actually isn’t enough for a star-caliber player like Gray.
Holy steal
— Cxsper (@Cxsperxz) November 27, 2023
In any case, the Cardinals finally have an ace, and fans can actually dream about their beloved birds being competitive in 2024.
The post Fans React To Today’s Sonny Gray News appeared first on The Cold Wire.