Sonny Gray isn’t just changing teams-he’s reigniting one of baseball’s most iconic rivalries on his way out the door.
After being traded to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for right-handers Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke, the former Cardinals and Yankees pitcher wasted no time making headlines. In his first comments since the trade, Gray made it abundantly clear how he feels about his former club in the Bronx.
“I never wanted to go there in the first place,” Gray said of his time with the Yankees. Then came the gut punch: “It feels good to go to a place where it’s easy to hate the Yankees.”
That’s not just a jab-that’s a fastball high and inside.
Gray’s comments instantly poured gasoline on the always-smoldering fire between the Red Sox and Yankees, a rivalry that doesn’t need much to get going. But when a former Yankee openly says he never wanted to be there and embraces the hatred from the other side? That’s bulletin-board material from day one.
To be fair, none of this is coming out of nowhere. Gray’s time in New York was rocky, both on and off the field.
He never quite found his rhythm in pinstripes, and the pressure cooker that is Yankee Stadium didn’t seem to suit his style or personality. Since leaving New York, Gray has quietly rebuilt his career with strong stints in Cincinnati, Minnesota, and most recently, St.
Louis-teams closer to his Nashville home and, perhaps not coincidentally, cities with a bit less media frenzy.
Cardinals fans saw a different side of Gray this past season-a competitor with edge and fire. And while St.
Louis didn’t quite put together the contender they hoped for, Gray still showed flashes of the ace-level stuff that made him such a hot commodity on the trade market. Now, Boston gets that same fire, and it looks like he’s bringing a little extra motivation with him to Fenway.
If this sounds familiar to Cardinals fans, it should. Willson Contreras brought a similar energy when he jumped from the Cubs to the Cards last offseason, never shying away from poking the bear in Chicago. Now, Gray is stepping into that same role-only this time, it’s Yankees fans who are taking offense.
And they’re not staying quiet.
Media outlets like Jomboy Media were quick to dig up old footage of Gray’s introductory press conference with the Yankees, where he spoke positively about joining the team. The implication?
He’s contradicting himself. But context matters.
It’s one thing to say the right things when you’re introduced to a new team. It’s another to reflect on that experience years later, after it didn’t work out.
Gray’s not the first player to struggle under the bright lights in New York, and he won’t be the last. But he might be one of the few to come out and say, flat-out, “I didn’t want to be there.” That kind of honesty is rare in today’s game-and it’s going to make every Red Sox-Yankees matchup in 2026 that much more electric.
Boston fans are likely eating this up. They’ve got a veteran starter who’s not only ready to compete but isn’t afraid to stir the pot. And if Gray can back up those words on the mound when the Yankees come to town, he’ll be a fan favorite in no time.
This is the kind of energy that makes rivalries great. The Red Sox didn’t just add an arm-they added a storyline. And Sonny Gray’s already made sure that the next chapter of Sox-Yankees baseball is going to be must-watch.