Sonny Gray
So much for former Vanderbilt star Sonny Gray facing the Nashville Sounds in Memphis on Tuesday.
The Smyrna native will instead make his St. Louis debut on Tuesday, when the Cardinals host the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium.
Gray has yet to pitch for the Cardinals after suffering a hamstring injury in early March during his second spring training appearance.
The 34-year-old Gray had been scheduled to make a start at Class AAA Memphis on Tuesday, where he would have faced the Sounds.
But the Cardinals and Gray have apparently decided he doesn’t need a minor-league start before his Cardinals debut.
“Waiting has not been easy, especially when the team was on the road and came back, and [continuing to wait] hasn’t been easy,” Gray told media on Sunday. “It’s time for me to compete and put on the uniform — it’s just time.
“Physically, I feel great. And mentally I’m in a great spot, and I just feel that I’m more than capable to go out and compete in a big-league game. We talked through it, and as long as it worked out where it didn’t put too much stress on the bullpen or collectively put the team in a bad spot with me only having 60-70 pitches — that was the main thing, making sure I wasn’t putting anybody else in a bad spot. But I feel normal and capable of getting outs.”
Cards manager Oliver Marmol was in agreement.
“He is as direct and honest of a human as you can ever encounter,” Marmol said. “If he says he is 100 percent himself and ready to go, from my seat I trust that.”
Gray, who finished second in the American League Cy Young voting last season, was the Cardinals’ marquee offseason addition, signing a three-year, $75 million deal last November. It’s Gray’s fifth MLB team, following stints with Oakland, the New York Yankees, Cincinnati and Minnesota.
Entering his 12th season in the majors, Gray is coming off a strong 2023.
His record was only 8-8, but Gray posted a 2.79 ERA, striking out 183 batters in 184 innings. The ERA was the third best of Gray’s career, and his best since 2015. The strikeout total tied for the second highest of Gray’s career, his best figure since 2019. The innings pitched total was the third highest of his career, his highest since 2015.
Gray finished second to the New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole in AL Cy Young voting.
Also in 2023, Gray made the MLB All-Star game for the third time in his career and later earned his first postseason victory, guiding the Twins to a 2-0 victory over Toronto in a wild card series contest.
Gray played three seasons at Vanderbilt, leading the Commodores to their first College World Series appearance in 2011 during his final season. Oakland selected him with the 18th overall pick in 2011.