Checking in on former Reds pitcher Sonny Gray

The Cincinnati Reds began to purge the roster last fall when the team traded Tucker Barnhart and waived Wade Miley. But the real rebuild, if you want to call it that, began when the front office traded Sonny Gray to the Minnesota Twins.

In return, the Reds received the Twins' first-round draft pick from a year ago. Right-hander Chase Petty is currently pitching a Low-A Daytona and has a 4.15 ERA and 3.68 FIP for the Tortugas.

Trading Gray began a domino effect that eventually saw Jesse Winker, Eugenio Suárez, and Amir Garrett all traded before the start of the 2022. So how has Gray been doing in the Land of 10,000 Lakes?

How is former Reds RHP Sonny Gray fairing with the Twins?

Of all the former Cincinnati Reds players dealt this past season, Sonny Gray might be doing better than any of them. The right-hander spent some time on the Injured List earlier this season, and may be sent back there in the next day or so.

Gray was slowed during spring training, but broke camp with the Twins as part of their Opening Day roster. A low-grade hamstring strain suffered in a game against the Boston Red Sox in April saw the 32-year-old land on the 10-day IL.

After a rehab in Fort Meyers, Gray returned to the Twins rotation in early-May. Gray started five games for Minnesota last month, but exited a game against the Kansas City Royals with a pectoral strain. The Twins have yet to decide if the injury warrants a trip to the IL.

On the season, Sonny Gray is 3-1 with a 2.41 ERA and 39 punch outs over 33.2 innings of work. The right-hander owns a 0.980 WHIP and a 2.88 FIP. Gray is off to his best start since his first season in Cincinnati (2019). Gray went to his second All-Star Game that year.

Of all the trades that Nick Krall made this past spring, dealing Sonny Gray to the Minnesota Twins might have hurt the most. Gray was beloved by his teammates and the fans in Cincinnati. That said, no trade may have made more sense than shipping the right-hander up north.

Gray had one year left on his deal and the Cincinnati Reds were unlikely to pick up his team-option with so many talented, young arms (Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Graham Ashcraft) coming up through the farm system. Tough as it was to see him traded, it was time for the Reds and Sonny Gray to part ways.