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Sonny Douglas Gray (born November 7, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, and Minnesota Twins.
Gray attended Vanderbilt University and played college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores. The Athletics selected Gray in the first round of the 2011 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2013, won the American League Pitcher of the Month Award twice in 2014, and has been named an MLB All-Star in 2015, 2019, and 2023. He was the American League Cy Young Award runner-up in 2023.
As a freshman, he pitched and played left field and was named Freshman of the Year in District 9AAA. As a sophomore, he suffered injuries and saw limited action during the season. As a junior, he led his team to the 2007 State Tournament with an 11β2 winβloss record and a 0.95 earned run average (ERA). This earned him a nod for the AFLAC All-American High School Baseball Classic, and a nomination for National Player of the Year (which Tim Melville ultimately won). As a senior, he went 4β0 with a 0.79 ERA. However, he was injured in a district game in April 2008 that ended his season. He also excelled at the plate, batting over .500 his last two seasons at Smyrna, but instead opted to pitch in college.
In addition to his success on the mound, he also played quarterback for Smyrna's football team, guiding them to back-to-back 5A State titles in 2006 and 2007. He was voted Gatorade Player of the Year by The Tennessean in 2007 and 2008 for his overall athletic success. Gray also was involved in other extra-curricular activities in high school. He starred as the lead character (Troy Bolton) in his school's rendition of High School Musical on Stage!
Having already made a verbal commitment to Vanderbilt University before Smyrna's state tournament run, he was drafted in the 27th round by the Chicago Cubs in the 2008 MLB Draft. He did not sign with the team.
To start the 2013 season, Gray returned to the River Cats, where he posted a 2.81 ERA and was selected to start the Triple-A All-Star Game for the Pacific Coast League.
Gray was recalled again by the Athletics on August 10, and made his first Major League start against Mark Buehrle and the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto. This was supposed to be just a spot start in Tommy Milone's place in the rotation after Milone's struggles and subsequent option down to Triple-A Sacramento. However, Gray would later become a fixture in the A's rotation as the fifth starter. Gray's first major league win came against Erik Bedard and the Houston Astros in his home debut. He pitched 8 shutout innings to earn a 5β0 win. On September 22, Gray pitched and won the AL West Division-clinching game against the Minnesota Twins. He finished the regular season, going 5β3 in 12 games (10 starts) with a 2.67 ERA, striking out 67 in 64 innings.
On October 5, Gray started Game 2 of the American League Division Series against Justin Verlander and the Detroit Tigers. In a no-decision effort, he pitched eight scoreless innings before a 9th inning walk-off hit by Stephen Vogt resulted in a 1β0 Oakland win. In a surprise move, Gray was elected to start Game 5 over Bartolo ColΓ³n. Facing Justin Verlander, Gray pitched 5+ innings, giving up six hits and three runs, getting the loss in the 3β0 game.
Despite not having previously been on an Opening Day roster, Gray made his first career Opening Day start on March 31, 2014, against the Cleveland Indians. He started the season 4β1 with a 1.76 ERA, while also recording his first complete game shutout, and 37 strikeouts in 41.0 innings pitched over six starts in April. For his early success, he was named AL Pitcher of the Month for the first time in his career. He would later go on to win AL Pitcher of the Month for July, as well. On the final day of the regular season, Sonny clinched the Athletics' third consecutive playoff spot with a complete game win on the road against the Texas Rangers. The A's would go on to lose the 2014 AL Wild Card Game to the Kansas City Royals in extra innings.
Gray was tabbed for a second straight Opening Day start for the Oakland Athletics on April 6, 2015, against the Texas Rangers. He pitched eight innings and allowed only one hit, holding the Rangers hitless until the eighth inning. Gray continued his success through mid-July, as he held a 10β3 record and a 2.04 ERA at the All-Star Break. He was selected to his first All-Star Game. He did not appear in the All-Star Game because he had started for the Athletics on the Sunday before the game.
Gray finished the season 14β7 with a 2.73 ERA. He finished third in the American League Cy Young Award voting, behind winner Dallas Keuchel and David Price. Gray failed to improve on his successful 2015 season, suffering multiple setbacks that twice landed him on the disabled list. He finished the season with a 5β11 record with a 5.69 ERA.
Gray struggled throughout his tenure as a starter in 2018, eventually losing his rotation spot to newly acquired teammate Lance Lynn after giving up seven runs in innings to the Baltimore Orioles on August 1. Although his road ERA was a respectable 3.62, his ERA at Yankee Stadium was inflated at 7.71 and his total record as a Yankee prior to his demotion to the bullpen was 12β15 and a 4.85 ERA.
In 2020, he was 5β3 with a 3.70 ERA. He led the NL in , with seven. In 2021, Gray posted a 7β9 record with a 4.19 ERA and 155 strikeouts over innings in 26 starts.
On November 6, 2022, the Twins picked up Gray's $12 million team option for the 2023 season. At the midseason of the 2023 season, Gray for the third time of his career was designated as a pitcher for the American League in the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
On June 27, 2025, Gray pitched a Maddux, throwing only 89 pitches in a complete-game shutout versus the Cleveland Guardians, with 11 strikeouts, no walks, and only 1 hit allowed.
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