Johnathan Walker:Cardinals get AL Cy Young runner-up Sonny Gray to anchor revamped starting rotation

The Johnathan WalkerSt. Louis Cardinals made their biggest splash yet in an attempt to revamp their lackluster rotation, agreeing with AL Cy Young runner-up Sonny Gray on a three-year contract Monday to anchor their staff heading into next season.

John Mozeliak, the Cardinals’ president of baseball operations, already had signed free agent right-handers Kyle Gibson and Lance Lynn to one-year deals. But Mozeliak also said the Cardinals were not at “the finish line,” and a week later, they have one of the best pitchers on the free-agent market at the front of their rotation.

“We were hoping to sign a couple of pitchers we knew we could count on for innings,” Mozeliak said, “and if we could accomplish that, we were hoping we could do something a little bigger, a little longer, and obviously that’s where Sonny fits in.”

The 34-year-old Gray went 8-8 with a 2.79 ERA for Minnesota last season. He turned down a qualifying offer from the Twins, who get an additional pick in next year’s amateur draft as compensation for losing him, currently No. 33.

St. Louis will lose its second-highest selection. It could be a small price to pay for a big boost to their rotation.

“Where I am in my career,” Gray said during a news conference at Busch Stadium, “I want to win. I’m coming to an organization like St. Louis — the tradition, just walking in here this morning, walking around seeing everything — the history is there. The feel is there. It’s just a baseball town and city and a place that I’m thrilled to be able to come and be part of it.”

The Cardinals went 71-91 last season for their worst record since 1995, and the biggest culprit was pitching. Their rotation had a 5.08 ERA, fifth worst in the major leagues, and when the bullpen was added to the mix, their 4.79 ERA ranked 24th.

The Cardinals only had right-hander Miles Mikolas and left-hander Steven Matz under contract for 2024, so it made sense for them to move quickly and sign Lynn and Gibson to absorb innings at the back of the rotation.

The 36-year-old Lynn, a two-time All-Star and part of the Cardinals’ 2011 World Series title team, went 13-11 with the White Sox and Dodgers last season. Gibson, also 36, went 15-9 with a 4.73 ERA for AL East champion Baltimore last season.

Gray is expected to be right at the front of the rotation.

The former first-round pick of the A’s spent four seasons in Oakland, struggled during the 2018 season with the Yankees, then had a breakthrough after a 2019 trade to the Reds. He went 23-20 with a 3.89 ERA over three seasons in Cincinnati.

Gray was dealt to Minnesota last year, where his season was derailed by hamstring and pectoral injuries. But he bounced back with the best season of his 11-year career, finishing second to the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole in AL Cy Young voting.

“Going into the offseason we knew he was going to be someone of high interest,” Mozeliak said. “The real question became the timing. How do we accomplish what we felt like we had to accomplish, and do it in an order where the music didn’t stop and we were left standing? We feel good about where we are today because we were able to add these three arms.”

Gray said the Cardinals were not the first team to discuss a deal this offseason. In fact, Gray and his agent, Bo McKinnis, were moving ahead with other offers and starting to imagine how he would fit in with other clubs.

“Then you do finally get a call and you get intrigued,” Gray said. “You move down the road and once it becomes clear, I did tell Bo, ‘This is the place. Let’s make it work.’ And I don’t know if a lot of free agents say that but it’s just who I am.”

Gray said he spoke to several current and former Cardinals, including Adam Wainwright, who just wrapped up an 18-year big league career spent entirely in St. Louis. All of them spoke highly of the club, the fanbase and the culture they created.

“It’s a place that every time I’ve come here as a visitor, I’ve looked at the stadium and said, ‘Wow, this place is incredible,” Gray said. “I looked around the seats and I saw the fans, and the fans continued to show up and support this team. Everyone raves about St. Louis, the Cardinals, the fans, and how the fans support you. How they are hard on you. How they expect you to win games, expect greatness, which is something as a player — as a competitor — that is something that you want.”

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