Sonny Gray Embraces Red Sox-Yankees Rivalry in Return to AL East
Sonny Gray is back in the American League East, and he’s not easing into it-he’s diving headfirst into one of baseball’s most storied rivalries.
The veteran right-hander, recently acquired by the Boston Red Sox in a three-player deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, made it clear he’s ready for the heat of the Red Sox-Yankees feud. And after a rocky stint in pinstripes earlier in his career, Gray sounds more than ready to flip the script-this time, from the other side.
**"It's easy to hate the Yankees," Gray said Tuesday on MLB Network. ** That’s not just bulletin board material-it’s a statement from a pitcher who’s been on both sides of the rivalry and knows exactly what it brings.
“It’s easy to go out and have that rivalry and go in it with full force, full steam ahead,” he added. “I like the challenge.
I appreciate the challenge. I accept the challenge.”
Gray’s fire is unmistakable. At 36, he’s not just chasing another chapter-he’s chasing redemption. And he’s doing it with the kind of edge that fits right in with Boston’s blue-collar baseball culture.
This isn’t Gray’s first ride through the AL East. Back in 2017, he was traded from the Oakland A’s to the Yankees at the deadline, a move that never quite clicked.
Over parts of two seasons in New York, he struggled to find consistency, posting a 4.51 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings across 195 2/3 frames. For a pitcher who’s been a three-time All-Star and top-tier starter at various points in his career, those numbers were a clear outlier-and a frustrating chapter.
“New York, it just wasn’t a good situation for me,” Gray admitted. “It wasn’t a great setup for me and my family. I never wanted to go there in the first place.”
That honesty says a lot. Not every player is built for the New York spotlight, and Gray’s time in the Bronx made that clear. His career 6.06 ERA and 1.64 WHIP over 101 innings at Yankee Stadium tell the story of a pitcher who never quite found his footing in the Bronx.
But now, with a fresh start in Boston, Gray gets a chance to write a different kind of story. He’s not trying to prove anything to the Yankees-he’s just being himself.
“This time around, it’s just go out and be yourself,” he said. “If people don’t like it, it is what it is.”
That mindset could be exactly what the Red Sox need. Gray brings veteran presence, postseason experience, and a chip on his shoulder-all assets for a Boston rotation looking to reestablish itself in a division that’s as competitive as ever.
And let’s be honest: the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry is always better when there’s real emotion behind it. Gray’s got that in spades.
He’s not just another arm in the rotation-he’s a guy who’s lived the rivalry from both dugouts. Now, he’s back in the AL East, and this time, he’s bringing the smoke.