Phillies game-changing proposed blockbuster lands Cardinals $75 million superstar

The Philadelphia Phillies have four-fifths of a fantastic starting rotation.

In the 2024 season, Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez, and Ranger Suárez were all National League All-Stars. Aaron Nola was his typical, dependable self. But the fifth slot, occupied by Taijuan Walker and a rotating cast of fill-ins, was basically the baseball equivalent of a punt.

Moving into the 2025 season, the Phillies are starting to sense the desperation to win a World Series in the Bryce Harper era. Finding a fifth starter is paramount to that goal, and there are a couple of ways Philly can go about doing so.

Free agency is the most readily available solution, but the Phillies should also be active in exploring trades. One reliable veteran whose team appears to be willing to shop him could wind up the perfect fit to fill out the most dominant rotation in the game.

Enter Sonny Gray of the rebuilding St. Louis Cardinals. Zach Pressnell of Newsweek recently proposed that the Phillies could look at Gray as a trade option as they stack up their rotation for the 2025 season.

"The Cardinals are entering a rebuild and they're expected to shop Gray around," Pressnell said. "Due to Gray's no-trade clause, he has full control over if and where he is moved, which could drive his price down tremendously."

Gray, 34, struggled down the stretch in 2024, but he was much more effective than his 3.84 ERA suggests, posting a 3.12 FIP and 203 strikeouts in just 166 1/3 innings pitched. The dependable veteran has already pitched for five teams in his career, yet he's never pitched in a World Series.

On top of the no-trade clause, Gray's three-year, $75 million contract includes a club option for an additional $30 million in 2027. That gives the Phillies some flexibility, given that several of their starters are already locked in on long-term extensions.

The Phillies could be an ideal home for Gray as he looks to write the perfect final act of his career. But it takes two to tango, so perhaps soon we'll have more information about St. Louis' willingness to move him.

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