Sonny Gray’s first month in Boston wasn’t pretty. The Red Sox figured they’d landed a solid veteran arm when they traded for him, but through five starts, he was getting lit up more often than not.
Then came the hamstring injury that knocked him out on Patriots’ Day. Sometimes the best thing that can happen to a struggling pitcher is a reset.
Tale of Two Seasons
Before the IL stint, Gray looked like a guy fighting his stuff. He managed a 2-1 record, but that was mostly his offense bailing him out. The numbers told the real story: 4.30 ERA, 5.1 K/9, and a .269 BAA across those first five outings.
He’d either get shellacked or pitch well enough to win. Not exactly the consistency Boston was expecting from thier trade investment.
But something clicked when he came back. Maybe it was the rest, maybe he figured out his mechanics, or maybe he just needed time to adjust to the American League. Whatever it was worked.
Since returning, Gray’s been a different pitcher entirely. 4-0 record, 2.00 ERA, 9.3 K/9, and a .219 BAA over his last five starts. That’s the pitcher the Red Sox thought they were getting.
Rotation Implications
Gray’s turnaround couldn’t have come at a better time. His overall numbers now sit at 6-1 with a 3.06 ERA, making him one of Boston’s most reliable starters.
The timing matters because Garrett Crochet’s return from injury is looming. When their Cy Young runner-up ace comes back, someone’s getting bumped from the rotation. Right now, Boston’s running three lefties and two righties, but that balance is about to shift.
Brayan Bello seems like the odd man out among the righties, which would leave Gray as the only right-handed starter in a southpaw-heavy rotation.
That’s a lot of pressure on Gray to maintain this post-injury form. The way he’s pitching now, though, the Red Sox have every reason to believe he can handle it. Sometimes all it takes is finding that groove, and Gray looks like he’s found his.
