Sonny Gray isn’t ready to hang it up.
The veteran right-hander plans to pitch in 2027, and while a return to the Boston Red Sox remains on the table, nothing is settled yet. Gray and his family have already made the call that retirement is not the next step, and the World Series remains the target.
“My family and I have talked about it and it’s an easy decision,” Gray said, via Alex Speier. “I still want to win a World Series, whether that is [with] Boston or with whoever wants me.”
Gray’s first season in Boston gave him plenty to build on. Acquired from the St.
Louis Cardinals last offseason, he posted the best full-season numbers of his career in wins and ERA, finishing 2026 at 18-5 with a 2.72 ERA. Both marks stood as career highs over a full year.
But the season didn’t end the way he wanted. In Game 2 of the American League Wild Card Series against the New York Yankees, Gray was lifted after 4 ⅔ innings with Boston down 1-0. That move came after he had already raised questions about whether he would keep playing.
Now that uncertainty seems to be behind him. The only real question is where he’ll be pitching next.
Gray spoke warmly about Boston late in the season, saying the city and Fenway Park made the experience a memorable one.
“I’ve really enjoyed the city,” Gray said in September. “You never know what to expect, but I think the people have been great.
I think Fenway is awesome. It’s a very special place.”
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy also said he and Gray kept a strong relationship after the postseason decision to remove him.
Contractly, Gray’s next move depends on what happens with his deal. He is coming off the final guaranteed season of his restructured three-year, $75 million contract, which includes a mutual option for 2027 worth $30 million and a $10 million buyout.
If that option is turned down, Gray would become a free agent after the World Series. For now, his message is clear: he wants to keep pitching, and he’s open to doing it back in Boston.
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