4 trade destinations for Reds pitcher Sonny Gray

According to recent reports, the Cincinnati Reds have made Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle off limits in trade talks.

However, the club seems willing to discuss trading fellow starting pitcher Sonny Gray.

Since Gray's arrival in Cincinnati, the right-hander has been one of the steadiest pitchers in the Reds rotation.

Last season, plagued by injury, Gray started just 26 games and posted a 4.19 ERA 1.219 WHIP.

The right-hander still struck out 155 batters over 135.1 innings of work.

Gray is owed just below $11M and his contract contains a $12M team-option for the 2023 season.

Sonny Gray was rumored to be on the trade block last offseason, but it appears the Reds front office may be even more focused on dealing the Vanderbilt alum this winter.

With the hot stove heating up, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Gray on the move before a potential lockout next month.

Which three teams are the most likely trade destinations for Sonny Gray this offseason?

1. The Angels could trade for Reds pitcher Sonny Gray.

The Los Angeles Angels have, perhaps, the two best players in baseball.

And while Shohei Ohtani can pitch, Mike Trout cannot. The Angels have made adding pitching a priority this offseason.

Swinging a trade for Reds starter Sonny Gray could be a nice way for LA to boost their rotation without doling out a ton of money.

Gray's $10.2M salary in 2022 is extremely affordable. The combination of Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Justin Upton will account for nearly $100M of the Angels payroll next season.

The Angels are said to be after more pitching and were in the running for Steven Matz who recently signed with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Halos already inked Aaron Loup to a two-year deal in order to bolster their bullpen.

Los Angeles also swung a one-year contract with former New York Mets hurler Noah Syndergaard.

The Syndergaard signing is a high-risk/ high-reward type of signing, while trading for Sonny Gray wouldn't offer the same level of risk.

2. The Dodgers could trade for Reds pitcher Sonny Gray.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have already been rumored to be after Sonny Gray, so there's no reason to think that LA wouldn't be in the running to land the right-hander in a trade.

The Reds and Dodgers have done business in the past, most recently the 2018 trade involving Yasiel Puig, Alex Wood, Matt Kemp, and Kyle Farmer.

In return, the Dodgers received Homer Bailey and two of Cincinnati's top prospects; shortstop Jeter Downs and pitcher Josiah Gray.

Don't look for the Reds to get taken for a ride again should they decide to work out a deal with the Dodgers.

Cincinnati would be in the market for prospects, and given how desperate the market is for starting pitching, the Reds might be able to land a Top 100 prospect in exchange for Sonny Gray.

The Dodgers have five Top 100 prospects according to MLB Pipeline; Diego Cartaya, Ryan Pepiot, Michael Busch, Bobby Miller, and Andy Pages.

A player like Pages would be a great asset for the Reds. The toolsy outfield prospect has a plus-plus arm and solid skills at the dish.

If sacrificing Andy Pages is too much for LA to stomach, some top-level pitching talent resides in the Dodgers' organization.

Andre Jackson, Landon Knack, and Clayton Beeter might be more realistic trade targets for Nick Krall and the Cincinnati Reds front office.

3. The Giants could trade for Reds pitcher Sonny Gray.

The San Francisco Giants had one of the best starting rotations in the league last season.

But, Johnny Cueto is a free agent, as is Kevin Gausman. The Giants are unlikely to bring back Cueto, but Gausman is certainly on their radar.

Unfortunately for the Giants, Gausman has caught the eye of several other teams as well.

If San Francisco hopes to bring back their ace, it's going to cost them. The Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Angels have their sights set on Gausman.

The Giants were also said to be in on Steven Matz, who eventually signed with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The San Francisco Giants have already re-signed former Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani to a three-year deal.

Alex Wood, who also pitched for Cincinnati, is rumored to be closing in on a new deal with San Francisco as well.

The Giants have money to spend this offseason, so they may be more apt to sign a free agent starter rather than trade for Sonny Gray.

But, if the market dries up and the Giants are left out in the cold, San Francisco's President of Baseball Operations, Farhan Zaidi, may give Nick Krall a call.