Sonny Gray, Starting Pitcher, Minnesota Twins
Date of Birth: 11/7/1989
Birthplace: Nashville, Tennessee
College: Vanderbilt University
Sonny Gray, starting pitcher for the Minnesota Twins, was a top player in high school when he was first drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2008. He opted, however, to attend Vanderbilt University instead. In 2011, prior to his senior year at Vanderbilt, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics.
Gray played in the Athletics' minor league system from 2011 through most of 2013, finishing his minor league career with a 3.66 ERA and a 17-17 record. In 2013, he pitched both as a starter and a reliever for the Athletics. He finished with a 2.67 ERA with a 5-3 record in 12 games.
In 2014, his first full season as a starting pitcher in the major leagues, Gray had a strong year. He finished with a 14-10 record, 183 strikeouts to 74 walks, and a 3.08 ERA in 219.0 innings in 33 games.
Gray had another good season in 2015, pitching 208.0 innings in 31 games for the Athletics. He finished the season with a 14-7 record, 169 strikeouts to 59 walks, and a 2.73 ERA.
Gray finished the 2016 season with a 5.69 ERA in 22 games. He had 5 wins to 11 losses and 94 strikeouts to 42 walks in 117.0 innings.
The Athletics traded Gray to the New York Yankees on July 31, 2017. He finished the 2017 season with a 3.55 ERA in 16 games with the Athletics and 11 games with the Yankees. He had 10 wins and 12 losses and 153 strikeouts to 57 walks in 162.1 innings. In the postseason, he pitched 8.1 innings in 2 games and he gave up 4 hits and 5 runs. He struck out 6 batters and walked 6.
Gray spent part of the 2018 season in the Yankees' bullpen, pitching in 23 games as a starter and 7 games as a reliever. He finished the season with 11 wins and 9 losses, 123 strikeouts to 57 walks, and a 4.90 ERA. He didn't pitch in the postseason.
The Yankees traded Gray to the Cincinnati Reds on January 21, 2019. He finished the 2019 season with 11 wins and 8 losses, 205 strikeouts to 68 walks, and a 2.87 ERA in 175.1 innings in 31 games.
Gray played in 11 games in 2020. He finished the season with 5 wins and 3 losses, 72 strikeouts to 26 walks, and a 3.70 ERA in 56.0 innings.
Gray spent time on the IL in 2021. He finished the season with 7 wins and 9 losses, 155 strikeouts to 50 walks, and a 4.19 ERA in 135.1 innings in 26 games.
Gray was traded to the Twins on March 13, 2022.
Career pitching statistics for Gray through 2021 include:
- 223 games played
- 1,267.1 innings pitched
- 82-72 win-loss record
- 1,221 strikeouts to 453 walks
- 3.61 ERA
Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Sonny Gray
ESPN - Sonny Gray