Yankees: MLB analyst Eduardo Perez explains what’s wrong with Sonny Gray

The Sonny Gray Yankees conundrum has caught the attention of ESPN MLB analyst and MLB Network radio co-host Eduardo Perez. On Wednesday, Perez shared his thoughts on Gray during his SiriusXM radio show, The Leadoff Spot.

According to former big leaguer, Eduardo Perez, Yankees pitcher Sonny Gray used to have much more confidence in his curveball. He compared Gray to former St. Louis Cardinals All-Star pitcher Woody Williams.

Williams would use his curve early in the count to get ahead of batters and late in the count as a putaway pitch. Over the years, Perez believes Gray has relied more on his two-seamer and has been uncomfortable on the mound in the Bronx.

"“Playing in the Bronx is whole other animal,” said Nunez on Wednesday during his radio show."

Perez later went on to compare Gray’s Yankees career to Javier Vazquez‘s. In his first stint with the Yanks, Vazquez followed up his 3.24 ERA with the Expos in 2003 with a 4.91 ERA with the Bombers in 2004.

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Vazquez found some success years later with the Chicago White Sox. Then he finished fourth in NL Cy Young votes with the Atlanta Braves in 2009. In 2010, the Yankees reacquired him and once again pitched his way out of the Bronx with a 5.32 ERA.

I agree with the professional analyst’s opinion that some pitchers are better in smaller markets. Everyone knows Gray could be a talented pitcher. He had much more success with the Oakland Athletics and could revive his career elsewhere if not with the Yankees.

Perez believes the most logical destination for the 29-year-old pitcher is the Cincinnati Reds. If he were to be traded to the Reds, he’d be reunited with Derek Johnson. When Gray pitched for Vanderbilt University and then years later for the Oakland Athletics, Johnson was his pitching coach. Perhaps Johnson is the key to the once-promising prospect’s success as a professional.

For now, Gray is a member of the Yankees even though he will likely be traded soon. At one point this offseason, over 10 teams had interest in acquiring him. However, Yankee GM Brian Cashman is waiting for what he believes to be a fair return before pulling the trigger.

In Cashman’s pursuit of Gray, he had to surrender three top 10 prospects. Therefore, reports indicated Cashman had requested top prospects in return, but that seems unlikely to come to fruition.

Now that C.C. Sabathia has been cleared to resume baseball activities, Cashman may be more aggressive to move Gray. The Milwaukee Brewers recently showed serious interest in trading for him, but don’t count out the Reds.

The Sonny Gray Yankees conundrum has caught the attention of ESPN MLB analyst and MLB Network radio co-host Eduardo Perez. On Wednesday, Perez shared his thoughts on Gray during his SiriusXM radio show, The Leadoff Spot.

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