Twins Acquire RHP Sonny Gray from Reds for Chase Petty

[Seth Stohs]

The Minnesota Twins have announced that they have acquired RHP Sonny Gray from the Cincinnati Reds, along with RHP Francis Peguero, in exchange for 2021 top pick Chase Petty. 

Why would you trade your 19-year-old first-round pick from 2021? Well, it is to acquire your Opening Day starter. No, we don't know that officially yet, but Sonny Gray has an excellent track record of success.

Gray is a 32-year-old right-hander. Last year with the Reds, he went 7-9 with a 4.19 ERA. In 135 1/3 innings, he had 155 strikeouts. He pitched for the Oakland A's from 2013-2017 before heading to the Yankees at the 2017 trade deadline. He remained in New York through the 2018 season. He signed with the Reds before the 2019 season. Overall, he his 82-72 with a 3.61 ERA over 1,267 1/3 innings in his career. 

Gray was the 18th overall pick in the 2011 draft out of Vanderbilt University. 

Francis Peguero is a 24-year-old who signed with the Reds from the Dominican Republic back in 2017. He has worked out of the bullpen throughout his career. In 103 innings in his career, he has struck out 116 batters while walking just 21 batters. He spent the full 2021 season at High-A Dayton.  

To get something, you have to give up someone, right? Well, the Twins traded their top pick from last year's draft, Chase Petty, to the Reds. He pitched in just two games after being drafted last year. He was touted for his triple-digit fastball, and he's got some really good secondary pitches to go with it. The sky is certainly the limit, but that's the price for a quality, top-of-the-rotation arm. 

For those who say that this is unlike the Twins to trade a top pitching prospect. Recall just a couple of years ago when the team traded a top 5 prospect in Brusdar Graterol to the Dodgers in the deal for Kenta Maeda. 

In addition, Gray's contract was for $30.5 million over three years. However, there is also an option for the 2023 season at $12 million. It would seem a pretty easy decision unless things unravel for a pitcher with a great track record. 

A quick search of how often Sonny Gray has been tagged in Twins Daily articles shows that he has been on fans' radars for awhile. 

Share your thoughts on this trade in the COMMENTS below. 

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[raindog]

Huge move. Seems like a heavy price to pay for two years of Gray. They need to acquire another high end starter if they want to compete. Otherwise these two trades don’t make a lot of sense to me. 

[gman]

Definitely not a fan of the move.

[ihc70]

Wow!  The future for the present.  That's not a Twins move

[Brock Beauchamp]

Okay, now we're talking. I like this deal a lot.

[Brandon]

This move is a head scratcher in that this is the first win now move they made all offseason.  All of the other moves  said this is a transition year.  We could have had Bassit for so much ch less

[Mike Sixel]

3 minutes ago, raindog said:

Huge move. Seems like a heavy price to pay for two years of Gray. They need to acquire another high end starter if they want to compete. Otherwise these two trades don’t make a lot of sense to me. 

This. They spent free agency playing for the future.... Then the last two days are all about the present. Baffling.

[Game7-91]

I'm up with that.?

Surprised, didnt think the could trade Petty for a full year. But it  works. 3 yrs of  control Twins-esque contract. All good....

[Rod Carews Birthday]

Good move.  You have to give up something to get something.  The Twins need pitching for this year and Gray provides that.  Keep on going! 

[mike8791]

Been on the bandwagon for Gray for last 2 years.  Excellent pickup.  Should slot in the 2/3 spot for next 2 years which is exactly what they need.  Petty is at least 4-5 years away.  Nice to see FO give up a high ranking prospect for an established pitcher!

Still have two more spots to fill, but this is encouraging in that Fo hasn't yet tanked on 2022.  They have more prospects/surplus pitchers they can trade.  My hope is Montas.  Would package of Larnach/Arraez and top 10 prospect do it.  With addition of KF, is it feasible to consider Martin or Lewis a trade option.

[weitz41]

Ok one more good starter and sign big Mike and we could have an average rotation. I hear Oakland has a starter or two that could be had. San Diego has a couple extra arms. Tough to see Petty go but HS pitchers are a crap shoot. Might be a future cy young winner and may never make it to the bigs.

[Doctor Gast]

Probably my 6th choice, we should have done much better. A good deal but at this point I wouldn't think about extending Gray, where my other choices I would.

[jmlease1]

Very interesting. While I liked Petty as a prospect, he was 3 years away, minimum...and high school pitchers have a rough track record. Gray should be a big help right now and is under contract for a good option next season as well if he performs. Add Pineda back and I suddenly feel a lot better about our rotation.

Gray is a nice pitcher, and I think this move makes a lot of sense for the team. Always a shame to give up a high upside player like Petty, but you have to give to get and I'm much happier dealing away an 18 year-old A-ball prospect than some of the other deals that have been discussed.

[tony&rodney]

Hope. This trade raises my hopes. Petty was a big guy to lose, especially because he doesn't clog upthe 40 person. This is great news. I'm hoping for at least one more big addition.

[Brandon]

11 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

This. They spent free agency playing for the future.... Then the last two days are all about the present. Baffling.

Exactly

[ihc70]

You know, if Petty reaches his full potential, the Twins can't sign him anyway.  See; Santana

 

[Mr. Patient]

High school pitchers flame out very often.  I'm on board with this move.

[Sielk]

I am honestly surprised to see so many negative reactions to this trade. Everyone wanted pitching, after all.

Yes, Petty is a very good prospect but he is also not even 19 years old and this farm system has a TON of RHPs. Anytime you trade away a prospect there is a chance that he could become something. There is also a decent chance Petty is a bust and the Twins get Sonny Gray for free.

You gotta give up something in a trade and I would rather give up Petty than someone like Winder who will probably help the Twins a lot in the near future. 

I like this one much better than the Garver trade!

[PseudoSABR]

13 minutes ago, Mike Sixel said:

This. They spent free agency playing for the future.... Then the last two days are all about the present. Baffling.

How is not spending money playing for the future? I just don't see the logic here.

[Chachi]

Converting future value to immediate value makes sense and if the move(s) don’t end up creating a contender - we can readjust at the trade deadline back to prospective value.  Taking a shot!  

[Mike Sixel]

This makes the trade yesterday make more sense. Apparently they are trying to win? The Bundy signing makes less and less sense though. 

[Mike Sixel]

1 minute ago, PseudoSABR said:

How is not spending money playing for the future? I just don't see the logic here.

It isn't playing for the present. 

[a-wan]

Just now, PseudoSABR said:

How is not spending money playing for the future? I just don't see the logic here.

The Twins have shown a reliable history of saving and collecting previous season's saving and passing that along onto the next season.

[Brandon]

1 minute ago, PseudoSABR said:

How is not spending money playing for the future? I just don't see the logic here.

By signing Bundt you are buying time for a minor leaguer to step up and take his job.

[Mike Sixel]

Just now, a-wan said:

The Twins have shown a reliable history of saving and collecting previous season's saving and passing that along onto the next season.

I never said that. Not once. Nor implied it. 

[PseudoSABR]

1 minute ago, Mike Sixel said:

It isn't playing for the present. 

It also isn't paying for the future.  

[USAFChief]

1 minute ago, Mike Sixel said:

I never said that. Not once. Nor implied it. 

Adjust your snarkometer.

[PseudoSABR]

2 minutes ago, Brandon said:

By signing Bundt you are buying time for a minor leaguer to step up and take his job.

What? Bundy? They bought low on Bundy, I'm sure they view him less as a placeholder, and more of a cheap gamble.  

But the logic of signing free agents to promote minor league development is creative, if baffling. 

[Brandon]

I do like the move as a win now.  Just that the team has been a transition team all offseason to date and subtracted offense when they didn’t have to yesterday 

[USAFChief]

This gives the Twins one quality MLB starter. Four to go.

 

Add Story for SS, 3 or 4 good relievers, and we're on to something here.