Yankees Rumors: Shopping pitcher Sonny Gray for a robust return

Yankees pitcher Sonny Gray will likely soon be traded to a new team, but how much is he worth? It’s no secret that starting pitching is expensive and GM Brian Cashman should continue to demand a more than fair price for Gray’s services.

On Monday, news broke that Yankees GM Brian Cashman requested a top prospect from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Sonny Gray. While some laugh at Cashman’s proposal, one can argue that his request wasn’t all that ridiculous.

I’m not supporting the idea that the pitcher is worth the price of Reds outfielder Taylor Trammell, MLB Pipeline’s No. 17 overall prospect. But I do believe Cashman should continue to demand a solid haul for Gray.

We know Gray is no longer an ace, but he’s only three seasons removed from being an All-Star. If Gray figures out his issues and returns to his old self, he could be one heck of a pitcher for a new club.

He had a bad 2018, but there were times Gray looked decent. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that multiple offers have been put on the table for the Tennessee-native. Teams need pitching, and the Yankees can cater to their needs.

More from Yankees Rumors

• What on earth is going on with Yankees, Fernando Tatis Jr. and flight to New York?
• 4 former Yankees players New York can still reunite with in free agency
• 4 blockbuster trade targets that could be Yankees next ‘big’ move
• MLB Network Radio host thinks Yankees should shell out for Dansby Swanson
• Did wild Max Fried trade rumor give Yankees perfect fallback plan?

Unfortunately for the teams that are interested in the 29-year-old, the price for starting pitching is at an all-time high. So if any organization is going to acquire a decent MLB-level starting pitcher, they will have to pay a premium, even if it is for Gray, who is coming off a season where his ERA hit 4.90.

Some general managers would prefer to trade gifted prospects that could potentially help the future of their organization because an immediate championship is more important. Other GM’s will cave into the high-priced demands negotiated by an unsigned pitchers agent. They’ll uncomfortably add an outrageous amount of zeros before the decimal point of their newly contracted player’s paycheck.

And this is all because their team needs starting pitching to put themselves in contention to win championships, so over-paying for a pitcher’s talent is justified, right?

When the Yankees acquired Sonny Gray from the Oakland Athletics, they also paid a premium. At the time, prospects Jorge Mateo, Dustin Fowler and James Kaprielian were all top 10 prospects. The Yanks were willing to let go of such coveted young players because they expected Gray to produce like the All-Star he once was. Unfortunately, he didn’t.

Now, heading into his age-29 season, Gray will get a fresh start somewhere else. Once GM Brian Cashman finds a worthy suitor, both parties will get the fresh start they need.