This could finally be the year where Sonny Gray gets traded from the Oakland A’s.
Over the last month, rumors have been rampant in regards to Oakland’s ace, but that’s been nothing new over the last few years around the trade deadline. For whatever reason, it seems like this year seems different since Oakland may be more inclined to trade Gray and get value for him. It appears the New York Yankees are considered favorites to land Gray from Oakland.
Thus far, the 27-year old right-hander is 6-4 with a 3.66 ERA in 15 starts for Oakland; solid numbers for a team that’s already begun to sell. Oakland already traded relievers Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson to the Washington Nationals. Many expect that Yonder Alonso, along with Sonny Gray, could be next to go.
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There have been three teams linked with interest in obtaining Gray before the trade deadline; the Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians and New York Yankees. The Indians haven’t been mentioned as to having as serious interest as much as the Yankees and Astros have.
Jon Heyman of Fan Rag Sports has reported that the Astros interest in Sonny Gray has seemed to cool down and Houston may be turning their attentions to acquire Justin Verlander from the Detroit Tigers. If Houston isn’t as serious for Gray like they once were, then that would leave the Yankees as the potential favorites.
On Thursday night, Oakland sent scouts to Trenton to scout the Yankees Class-AA team, the Trenton Thunder. Part of the reason they did was to watch the pitcher on the mound, Domingo Acevedo, who is considered to be one of the players that Oakland wants from the Yankees in a potential trade for Sonny Gray.
Jorge Mateo, who is also another one of the Yankees top prospects in their farm system, has also been identified as a player that Oakland likes and may want from the Yankees as well. Some thought that Mateo might have been involved in the deal with the Chicago White Sox to land them Todd Frazier, David Robertson, and Tommy Kahnle, but Blake Rutherford was the top prospect that the Yankees sent.
Typically, Oakland doesn’t make deals with the Yankees. If you look back, you might find one trade that happened between the Yankees and the A’s, and that’s mostly due to Billy Beane and his unwillingness to make trades with them.
So for the Yankees to not only be in the running to make a trade with Oakland, but to be one of the lead teams for Oakland’s ace pitcher is a bit of a shock. And yet, Oakland is scouting players from the Yankees farm system, so maybe Billy Beane is willing to do some business with the Yankees. Heyman did report that Oakland has named their price in a potential trade for Sonny Gray, although no names have officially leaked out yet, we’re lead to assume that Acevedo and Mateo might be the players that Oakland would want.
Whether something happens or not between now and July 31st between Oakland and the Yankees for Sonny Gray remains to be seen. It might be tough for Oakland fans to stomach seeing their ace pitcher go to New York and Billy Beane will have to live with that backlash.
But as of right now, the Yankees seems like they could be the most likely destination for Sonny Gray this summer.